


Equestria Girls 2: The New Wondercolts

by ChristaWolf, LonghaulHoofer



Series: Equestria Girls [2]
Category: My Little Pony: Equestria Girls
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-01
Updated: 2017-06-15
Packaged: 2018-09-13 23:53:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 108,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9147526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChristaWolf/pseuds/ChristaWolf, https://archiveofourown.org/users/LonghaulHoofer/pseuds/LonghaulHoofer
Summary: The second volume of the Equestria Girls series introduces the human Twilight Sparkle and her girlfriend, Emerald Wave to the existing main cast. The consequences of Equestrian magic infiltrating the human world begin to come to light, and the series takes a dark turn in the "Embrace the Darkness" trilogy, culminating in the death of a recurring character.





	1. Friendship Games: Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The quadrennial Friendship Games come to Canterlot High, and the girls are shocked to learn that Twilight Sparkle, their world's version of the equine princess, attends Crystal Prep Academy with her girlfriend, Emerald Wave. Twilight has been studying the magical phenomena at CHS, but Principal Abacus Cinch has her own plan to ensure that CPA's reputation remains unblemished.

The rumors that a new student would be joining the sophomore class at Crystal Prep Academy spread like wildfire. It was very rare for new students to arrive who weren’t part of the freshman class, and even those were a small group, since Crystal Prep was a private school that was only open to those who could afford to go.

Emerald Wave wasn’t one of those people. Or rather she was, but not to the same extent as the other students. The other students, she knew, all lived in large manor houses with servants and gates. She didn’t even have that, just a larger-than-usual suburban house with a housekeeper. Her uniform was bought on credit, not cash. She sighed as she buckled her shoes, straightened her skirt, and checked to make sure that her falsies (silicon bra inserts) were properly positioned before heading out the door for her first day at her new school.

[The inside of the coach](http://bit.ly/1rTaKCq) that came to pick her up was the ritziest school bus she had   ever seen. The floor had a yellow and gold carpet that went all the way to the back, and the seats were made of a soft, cushy material with a purple and yellow fabric stripe down the middle. Above each seat were luggage compartments.

The driver was a surly-looking man with dark grey skin, jet black hair and mustache, and brown eyes. He wore a Stetson, a district bus driver uniform, a red bandana with a picture of a spider on it, and was smoking a thick cigar. He took the cigar from his mouth and barked, "Pick a seat, girlie! We ain't got all day!" at Emerald, flicking a few ashes in her direction as he did so. His name was Angus Mustang.

Emerald sank into the first seat she found, put her backpack into the luggage compartment, and sighed deeply. The bus started up and moved through the streets, picking up more and more uniformed students.

At one stop, [a white-skinned, blond haired boy](http://bit.ly/1rTb9of) with light blue eyes poked Emerald on the shoulder, looking disdainful. "Excuse me, madam," he said, "But you are sitting in _my_ spot." 

Emerald jumped then turned, her eyes narrowing behind her glasses. "Don't see your name on it, now do I?" she asked rhetorically. "I was here first, dude. Go sit somewhere else."

"For your information," the boy continued haughtily, "my name is Vladímir "Prince" Blueblood, and I will not be spoken to that way! Remove yourself from my seat at once!"

"If you say so," Emerald said, rolling her eyes. She got up and collected her backpack. 

Blueblood shoved past her and settled in, looking smug. "Thank you, madam," he said.

"Bite me," Emerald spat, and continued on toward the back of the bus. The rest of the ride went on without incident, at least until the very end, as everyone was alighting. One student stuck out her leg as Emerald passed her seat, causing her to trip and sending her sprawling on the floor. "Ow!"

"Watch where you're going, new girl," said the assailant, [a blue-skinned girl](http://bit.ly/1rTdJdU) with hair like a rainbow. She stepped over Emerald and continued on her way before Emerald had time to say anything more than a mumbled string of swear words.

* * *

As Emerald made her way into the school building for the first time, she was struck by just how _austere_ everything looked. [The building itself](http://bit.ly/1rTbxTH) had three floors, and was decorated with bunches of sharp crystal spires that shone in the sunlight. [The interior](http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/0/02/Sci-Twi_walking_down_the_Crystal_Prep_hallway_EG3.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/640?cb=20151013212200) wasn’t much nicer, with green crystal walls, marble floors, and vaulted ceilings with lights hanging down in the sections of hallway where lockers were. As she walked through the halls to her locker, she watched groups of students in uniform talk amongst themselves about what they did last summer, or their after-school plans, or sports, or parties. Emerald ignored them as best she could.

One by one, each of the other students noticed the yellow-skinned, green-eyed, curly brown-haired girl that walked amongst them. Each of them knew instinctually that, despite the uniform, she didn’t belong. It was all in how she carried herself: slumped shoulders, defeated expression, even her hair seemed different, pinned by only two blue beads. Nearly all of them gave her the same look, a look that said “You will never ever belong here, no matter how hard you try.” The only one who didn’t was a shy, lavender skinned girl with larger glasses and blue hair streaked with pink and purple. She watched the new arrival briefly as she opened her locker, then quietly entered her laboratory.

Finally, [a pink-skinned woman](http://bit.ly/1rTeHH6) with yellow, pink, and purple hair strode up to Emerald’s locker. She wore a green jacket with a lighter green skirt, and a pale blue shirt beneath the jacket. Pinned to her left breast was a crystal heart. She coughed. “Miss Emerald Wave?”

Emerald jumped again, then turned to face her. “Yes?” she asked. “I’m not in trouble already, am I?”

The pink woman chuckled, “No, you aren’t, I promise.” She offered a hand. “I am Dean Cadance, I will be your liaison for the week to help you adjust to life here at Crystal Prep. I’ll be guiding you to classes, meal times, and such like. If you have any questions, feel free to ask and I’ll answer them as best I can.” She smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“You’re the first person to have said that all morning,” Emerald replied, shaking the offered hand. “Everyone else has either glared at me, tripped me, or spoken as if I’m beneath them.”

Cadance sighed. “Sadly, I’m all too familiar with that… it happens every time there’s a new non-freshman here, no matter the grade level… I’ve tried to discuss it with Principal Cinch, but she just won’t listen.” She shook her head. “Anyway… your first class is Physical Science, with Professor Sigma… he’s a bit of an eccentric, but I think you’ll like him well enough…” The two walked through the halls, entirely unaware that they were being watched.

* * *

While Emerald and Cadance walked to class, a white skinned girl with long purple hair went to a dimly lit, disused room that had since become home to her little group of associates, known collectively as the Rainbooms. Already present were the other members: Twilight Sparkle, a skittish girl with lavender skin, blue hair streaked with purple and pink and thick black glasses, [Fluttershy](http://bit.ly/1WoBMyN), who had yellow skin and pink hair with a black streak, [Applejack](http://bit.ly/1WoBQ1w), who had orange skin, blonde hair, and wore a stetson, [Pinkamena](http://bit.ly/23GefIh), who was as pink as the name implied, and [Rainbow Dash](http://bit.ly/1WoC1tJ), the girl who had tripped Emerald earlier.

The leader, [Rarity](http://bit.ly/1WoC34Q), took her seat, the largest of the six chairs. Surrounding them were a few computers, a corkboard, a couple desks, and some other technological bits and bobs belonging to Twilight.

“Girls, report,” Rarity barked, looking at them expectantly and frowning. “Twilight, I’ll start with you. Who has paid their dues and who has not?”

Twilight adjusted her glasses and pulled out a well-worn notebook.  "Um, the tributes are coming in as expected, none of the other so-called gangs want to even challenge you."  She paused briefly. "There's, um ... there's a decline in new freshman protection fees, however...."

"A decline?" Rarity raised an eyebrow as everyone flinched. Bad sign. "Aww, do the cutesy-wutesy little freshmen think they don't need protecting from the big, scary bullies anymore?”

Rainbow looked over the group. "Word on the quad is there's a new group hustling protection for the freshmen. I believe it's time we had a chat with them and informed them of the status quo around here."

Rarity smiled and nodded, a sinister chuckle emanating from her lips. "Yes, you do that. Talk to them, be reasonable. And if they won't listen to reason... " She looked at Applejack. "Then you'll just have to teach them a lesson, won't you?”

Applejack grinned and flexed a fairly muscular arm. “A lesson they won’t soon forget.”

“Don’t worry, Rarity,” Rainbow said, smiling too. “I’ll make them an offer they can’t refuse.”

Rarity smiled and leaned back in her chair, clasping her hands together. “Excellent. Now, to business.” She reached down and pulled out her phone, “As I’m sure you all know, our beloved Crystal Prep has recently acquired a brand-new Shadowbolt… apparently, her name is Emerald Wave. Not much is known about her, except that she belongs to the lowest of the school income brackets. Your mission is to find as much information as you can about her, and use it as part of a… shall we say, welcoming committee.”

"I hate welcoming committees," grumbled Pinkamena. "They're as bad as parties!"

Fluttershy grinned and rubbed her hands together gleefully. “Oh wonderful, I so love these assignments! It’s so nice to see the new kids squirm!”

Rarity chuckled. “You’ll get your chance in due course, Fluttershy. Meet back here after school for further planning, is that clear?”

Everyone nodded assent, and Rarity left the room.

* * *

"So his real name is Viridian Stream, and he's not really a girl, he's just pretending," Rainbow reported later that day, once school had gotten out.

"Does the administration know?" Rarity asked.

Twilight nodded. "But since she presents as a girl, they have to treat her as one. It's district policy and everything!"

Rainbow frowned. "Why are you using _those_ pronouns for him? We know he's really a boy, and soon, so will the whole school."

Twilight frowned. "But she doesn't think she's one... Why can't we respect her?"

Rarity smiled and patted Twilight on the head. "Twilight, you silly girl... Gender is one of those things that can't be changed. It doesn't matter what uniform he wears, or what he calls himself. He is biologically a boy, and he always will be." She looked back to the others. "I shall make him a copy of the boys uniform for him to wear. The rest of you, call him by his proper name whenever you see him, use male pronouns, and insist that he use the boys' bathroom and locker room." Her smile turned dark. "People like him deserve to be treated like this. They are freaks of nature."

* * *

Emerald's second day at CPA started pretty much the same as before. She dressed quickly, ate a hurried breakfast, brushed her teeth, then grabbed her backpack and climbed aboard the bus when it arrived.

The other students, when they boarded her bus, all snickered and laughed at her for reasons she hadn't quite figured out yet. One of them, Fluttershy, sat behind her, carrying a bucket of water. "Hey Viridian! What's soaking wet and clueless? Your face!" And she dumped the bucket of water on Emerald's head, ruining her uniform in the process. 

Emerald turned around and snarled, "My name isn't Viridian! It's Emerald! Got it?!"

"Oh Viridian darling," came Rarity's voice, "Don't be like that, we all know you're really a boy after all." She handed Emerald a boy's uniform. "Here, you'll need this."

Emerald threw it right back at Rarity. "I'm not wearing that!" she spat. "Leave me alone!"

"Oh yes you are," said Rainbow Dash, and the three of them somehow managed to get Emerald into the boy's uniform.

Rarity slipped the girls' one into her backpack, "You won't be needing this anymore," she said. "Don't you just look handsome?"

Emerald didn't reply. Once the bus stopped outside the school she ran in and dove into the first room she could find, which turned out to be Twilight's lab, though she had no way of knowing this.

Catching her reflection in a computer monitor, Emerald sighed. There she was, a girl wearing a men's suit jacket and trousers with a dress shirt, looking thoroughly miserable. "I hate this school," she muttered. "I hate it, I hate it, I hate it!"

Then the door opened, and Twilight Sparkle entered the room. She blinked when she saw Emerald. "Wha- oh! You're the new girl... Emerald Wave, wasn't it?"

Emerald nodded. "Yeah... People have been calling me by my old name though... I don't know how they found out, but it seems like the whole school knows!" 

"I don't think it's nice or even fair," Twilight said, going over to a storage closet and taking out a spare girls' uniform, "Here, you can change into this."

"Thanks," Emerald said. "I'll be back." She left, going across the hall to the girls bathroom and hiding in the first stall she came to. She dressed, tossed the boy's uniform into the trash, then returned to Twilight's lab. "So, what is this place?"

"It's my lab," Twilight explained. "I'm a scientist, so they let me have use of an old storage room so I could work on my projects..." She gestured to the cork board. "Right now I'm trying to work out what's going on with Canterlot High." Then she realized something and offered Emerald her hand. "I'm Twilight Sparkle, by the way. It's nice to meet you."

Emerald smiled and shook the hand. "Good to meet you, Twilight. At least I have one friend here... Everyone else seems to hate me because I'm not as rich as them."

Twilight nodded, "That's how it was when I came here last year... And even now. It doesn't help I'm the smartest girl in school... They hate me for that too." 

Emerald flopped down in a chair. "What I want," she said, "is to be accepted for who I really am. At my old school, they hated people like me, and I thought CPA was going to be the place where I could start over... I guess I was wrong."

"Have you started hormone replacement therapy yet?" Twilight asked curiously.

Emerald shook her head. "Nope... My parents won't let me."

Twilight smiled. "Well, I do know a lot about practicing medicine, so I'm pretty sure I could synthesise something that could help you."

"You'd do that for me?" Emerald asked.

Twilight nodded. "Sure. No one else should have to go through what I went through.”

* * *

Unfortunately, things didn't improve from there. In fact, the teasing stopped being teasing and became full-on bullying. Bathroom signs were switched, causing Emerald to enter the men’s bathroom even though a women’s sign was on the door, someone found out where she lived and replaced her uniforms, and worst of all were the names. No matter where she went, she was called either “freak,” “shim,” “he-she,” or “tranny.”

After a few more weeks of torment, Emerald couldn't take it anymore. After classes ended one day, she climbed the stairs to the roof of the school and stepped out onto it. Standing high above the world, she felt the streets below looked very small. "But just perfect to land on, and crack my head open," she muttered. She walked to the edge, near one of the spires, and gazed down at the street below. "How would it be," she wondered aloud,"if I jumped, landed right in front of them, and made them watch as I died?"

Meanwhile, Twilight ran as fast as she could to Dean Cadance's office, looking frantic. "Dean Cadance!" she said quickly. "You have to help me!"

Cadance frowned, getting to her feet. "Twilight, what's wrong? What's going on?"

"It's Emerald," Twilight explained quickly. "She's been treated really horribly by the students, even worse than I was... today she left a note in my locker telling me to remember her... I'm afraid of what it might mean."

Cadance nodded. "You go search for her, I will deal with the ones responsible for this. I have a feeling about who it might be." She left the office, and Twilight followed after, heading to the roof herself.

"Emerald!" Twilight gasped. The other girl was on the wrong side of the railings that surrounded the roof, her back facing them, though her hands were still wrapped around them. 

Emerald didn't turn. "Leave me alone, Twilight... forget about me. Forget you ever met me. Go back to your Bunsen burners, you don't need a freak like me in your life."

"Emerald..." Twilight walked closer, and touched Emerald's shoulder. "You shouldn't talk like that... you aren't a freak, you're a girl, just like me."

"Tell that to them," Emerald said. "They don't think so. When I jump, I want them to know what their words caused."

"They won't care," Twilight told her. "They'll just move onto the next victim, and the next, and the next. I know how they operate... I used to be a part of their group, but I quit when you came..."

"Why?" Emerald asked.

"Because..." Twilight paused. "Before I answer your question, step back over the railing. I'll help."

There was a very long pause, but eventually, Emerald made her way back onto the roof, protected from a grisly death.

Twilight looked into Emerald's eyes. "I knew there was something special about you from the day we met... I felt attached to you for reasons I can't explain, and trust me, I've spent a lot of sleepless nights trying to figure that out... you're an amazing, headstrong, beautiful girl... all the things I wish I could be. And... and I love you." Then she pulled Emerald into a kiss.

* * *

The rest of that school year passed relatively quickly. Twilight quit the Rainbooms once and for all, and the Rainbooms themselves were suspended when it was discovered that their bullying tactics had led to Emerald’s suicide attempt. During the summer, Emerald checked in with a psychologist to deal with the trauma from that and get a start on her own transition. Twilight was there through it all, helping her and guiding her whenever she could.

On the last night of summer vacation, Emerald could be found sitting in her room, lying on her bed as she talked to Twilight on the phone. "I'm really not looking forward to tomorrow, Sparks," she said, sounding miserable.

"It'll be okay, Emmy," Twilight reassured. "I have the feeling things are going to be very different this year."

"What do you mean?" Emerald asked.

Twilight's smile was evident in her voice. "Well, for starters, this will be the year where I begin my application for Everton's independent study program. I'm going to be investigating those strange anomalies in and around Canterlot High, to see if I can find out what's causing them! And if I do, I'll be guaranteed to get in!" 

"Mind if I help out?" Emerald asked. "I could use the distraction."

Twilight beamed. "Of course you can help, Emmy. Meet me in the lab after school and we'll talk things over. Goodnight!"

"Night night Sparks," Emerald said, hanging up. She turned off the light and crawled into bed, hugging a small plush wolf to her chest as she did.

* * *

Sunset Shimmer ran as fast as she could toward the front lawn of Canterlot High. Gathered by the front steps were her friends: Gemini and Raven Shadow, Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze, and Sonata Dusk. Stopping a little ways past the horse statue, she looked toward Sonata and said breathlessly, "I got your text, Sonata! Did something come through the portal? Is Equestrian magic on the loose? Did Twilight come back with a problem that only we can solve?!"

Sonata paused. "Uh... not exactly. I got these 2-for-1 coupons from work, and they expire tomorrow, so we gotta use 'em quickly!"

Sunset facepalmed. "Why would you send all of us an emergency text for a taco coupon?"

Sonata opened her arms wide and shouted, "Because tacos, duh! What other explanation do you need?"

Adagio shrugged. "Would you expect anything else?"

After a moment's thought, Sunset shook her head. "Not really."

Gem cleared her throat to speak, "Well, if we're all going to have tacos for dinner, shall we take my car?"

Everyone nodded except for Sunset, who said "You guys go, I'll catch up!"

And so the group trooped off toward Gem's car, talking cheerfully among themselves. Meanwhile, Sunset sat down on the school steps and took out the magical book that allowed her to communicate with Princess Twilight back in Equestria: "Dear Princess Twilight, how's life treating you in Equestria? Any cool new magic spells? It's been pretty quiet here at CHS since the Battle of the Bands. We still pony up when we play music, but I still can't quite grasp what it's all about. I would love to hear what you think about it when you get a sec. Your friend, Sunset Shimmer."

Unbeknownst to her, a city bus pulled up at the curb, and a figure stepped off: she was female and wore jeans with a grey hoodie, with the hood pulled up to hide her face. She walked toward the horse statue, taking  pout an electronic scanner of some kind, and pointed it at the portal. Its surface rippled like water, and she placed a purple hand on the stone as if about to jump in, but before she could do anything else, Sunset spotted her. "Hey!" she shouted, leaping off the steps and running toward the girl. "What are you doing?! Wait! Stop!"

The girl didn't answer, instead turning and leaping aboard another bus. In no time at all, she was gone by the time Sunset made it to the portal. As she watched the bus drive off, she put her fingers to her chin in puzzlement. "Who was that?"

* * *

"They were definitely doing something to the statue – or were going to," Sunset told the group that afternoon, at the taco place.

Aria looked concerned.  "Do you think they came through the portal from Equestria?"

Sunset shook her head.  "No, I'm pretty sure I woulda noticed that. I think they were from over here."

Adagio smirked.  "Well, that's a relief. The last thing we need is another magical so-and-so or two or three bent on world domination coming over from Equestria."  She winked at Sunset. "No offense," she said with a knowing grin.

Sunset chuckled, and winked back. "None taken, as always." She continued munching on her taco, "Still, a mysterious figure snooping around the portal? Don't you wanna know what she was up to?"

"I do!" says Gem, looking excited. "You all know how much I love a good mystery!"

"Well, you don't have to. Because I've already figured out who it was!" Raven exclaimed.  "Seeing as how they got off a bus from the city and got back on a bus headed to the city, I'll bet they go to..."

 "Crystal Prep," said everyone except Sunset, in unison.  "That's all  everyone around here has been blabbering about," Adagio said, a disgusted look crossing her face.

Raven nodded.  "Yep. With the Friendship Games starting next week, they'd totally try to prank us by defacing the Wondercolts statue."

Sunset looked confused.  "Why would anyone take a bus all the way from the city for that?"

The rest of the group, having been hearing the stories almost constantly for the past few weeks, turned to Sunset.

"Because the Crystal Prep Shadowbolts are our biggest rivals?" Adagio repeated by rote.

"Because that's just what the students at Crystal Prep would do?" Raven added.

"Because even though they beat us in everything – soccer, tennis, golf, basket weaving, turnip twaddling – they still have to gloat!" Aria said, showing pictures of previous Canterlot High defeats at the hands of Crystal Prep.

Sunset Shimmer shrugs.   "Seems kinda silly to me."

Gem looks offended. “Well, pardon me, but we could say the same about some of your traditions! I mean, dressing up and running around in silly costumes collecting candy which you then give to a statue of an ancient foe? Positively ridiculous! Oh, and we mustn't forget hanging up cloth effigies of oneself during your version of Christmas."

Raven frowns at Gem and pulls her away from the table for a moment, producing a set of cue cards from a pocket of her jacket like the stage magician she was. They say things like "I completely understand why it was difficult not to get captured,” or "I didn't mean to imply that I don't care,” and “It was my fault, I should have known you didn't live in Aberdeen.” 

Gem picks one, and reads from it. “I apologize for insulting your culture and your people/species/familial relations. Please try not to do the same to us.” She looks up.

Sunset sighs.  "I'm sorry, I now it's a big deal here, but I guess I just don't understand why there's this big rivalry.  After all, aren't the 'Friendship Games' supposed to be about our two schools getting along?"

"It probably was at the start," Raven says, "but after getting constantly beaten at everything, it's become more about the games and less about friendship.  Maybe we shouldn't take it as hard as we do, but there's a sense of pride at stake here."

Adagio shrugs.  "Meh, it's something else to do.  We're far enough ahead that we can take a break from our equivalency studies and relax a bit."

“Yeah, relax,” Gem says with a sigh, “Assuming we don’t get drafted into competing or anything.”

"Is that likely?" Sunset asks.

Gem shrugs. "It isn't outside the realm of possibility. The tryouts are tomorrow, so we'll find out soon enough."

* * *

Across town, a girl with lavender skin, navy blue hair streaked with purple and pink, and thick black glasses sat in the bedroom of her best and only friend, Emerald Wave. Emerald was a girl with pale yellow skin, green eyes, half-moon glasses, and a mop of curly brown hair. Her room looked like a cross between a bedroom and a recording studio, with two guitars hanging on the wall and a small mixing console nearby, along with a couple of mic stands. Emerald was sitting in an office chair that rested behind the mixing console and smiling at the scientist who sat on her bed, legs crossed at the knee, still dressed in her uniform, while Emerald herself was in jeans and a t-shirt with a picture of a wolf on the front. 

“So, let me get this straight… Cinch pulled you into her office and said what to you?” Emerald asks.

Twilight explains, “She basically blackmailed me into competing in the Games… or she’ll deny my application.”

Emerald rolls her eyes. “Talk about cutthroat… makes me wish we went to CHS. They wouldn’t pull a trick like that on you.” Shaking her head, she decides to focus on brighter things. “How’d it go with your project, Sparks?”

Twilight beamed. “Last night's field test confirmed it, Emmy. With this device, I can track and contain the bizarre energy coming from Canterlot High.” She held up a circular object that looked like a fancy locket.

Emerald sighed. “Oh come on! You’re gonna get caught if you keep doing that, you know!"

Twilight sighed too, "I know you didn't like me going over there, but I just couldn't wait. And soon, I'll have all the time I need. All of Crystal Prep is gonna be there for the Friendship Games. I just hope all that 'rivalry' nonsense doesn't get in the way of my research. If I can collect enough data on these EM frequencies, I should be able to extrapolate the wavelength forms to determine their origin. That would practically guarantee my entrance into the Everton Independent Study Program!" She threw her arms up and grinned.

Emerald sighs, her smile fading somewhat. "Sparks, you know I want to see this project of yours succeed just as much as you do... I only wish you weren't so gung-ho about Everton."

Twilight blinked and tilted her head to the side. "But why?"

"Because believe it or not, it isn't just you here, there's me too." Emerald sighed and spun around in her chair. "Here's the thing... You and me, we're outcasts. The rest of Crystal Prep hates our guts. You're the best student the place has seen in thirty years, you're pretty much guaranteed a spot at the Games next week... But everyone hates you, because you're so much better than they are and because you're so completely unlike them. Then you’ve got me: the rocker, the sole audio engineer for the AV club, the trans girl. Even when the rest of the school nearly bullied me to death, you stood up and said no. But more than that?” She leaned forward and placed her hands around Twilight’s, “You’re my best friend. My only friend. I’d walk through fire for you Sparks, and I know you’d do the same for me… and if you leave Crystal Prep for Everton, I’ll be all alone. And we all know what kind of damage that can do to people like me.” She peers deep into Twilight’s eyes. “Sparks, please… solve the magic problem, but don’t go to Everton. I need you.”

Twilight didn’t say anything, she simply wrapped her arms around the other girl and hugged her.

* * *

Later in the afternoon, after classes had finished for the day, a pep rally was held at Canterlot High's gymnasium. The lack of enthusiasm about another drubbing at the hands of Crystal Prep was the central theme. The marching band tuned up their instruments as Principal Celestia approached the microphone. “As I'm sure you all know,” she began, “tomorrow, Canterlot High School will be hosting our fellow students from Crystal Prep Academy as we join together for 3 days in the spirit of excellence, sportsmanship, and fidelity to compete in the Friendship Games.” Very unenthusiastic clapping and a sarcastic “woohoo” were heard from the crowd. 

Celestia sighed silently, and continued. “Since the games only happen every four years, I'm sure you're all curious what goes on.” 

“You mean, other than us losing?” came a voice from the back, followed by sad laughter from the group. 

“And that,” Celestia said, “is exactly why I've asked Raven to come up and give you a little ... um ... context.” She stepped aside and Raven approached the microphone. 

Raven smiled warmly. "Thank you, Principal Celestia. I know a lot of you might think there's no way we can beat a fancy school like Crystal Prep at anything. And I know that CHS has never won the Friendship Games even once." 

Gem facepalms. "Oh dear, I hope this speech isn't meant to be motivational..." 

Raven continues. "Crystal Prep students are super athletic, super smart, and super motivated. But there's one thing they aren't: They aren't Wondercolts!" And she [launches](http://youtu.be/bbTBmH57bEg) into a rally song of sorts, with the help of the school marching band. Toward the end, she ponies up and the crowd applauds, feeling much more spirited. 

Raven returns to her group and is swarmed by the others. “Whoa, great speech, Raven!” Aria says, hugging Raven. “Almost makes me want to compete! Almost.” 

“Yeah, you fired them up enough that they might actually be able to pull an upset!” Adagio added.

“Wait ... how were you able to pony up like that?” Sonata wondered.

Sunset nodded. “Yeah, that just seemed so ... random.” 

The group was approached by Vice-Principal Luna. “It would be nice if you girls could get a handle on that. We'd like magic to be kept as far away from the Friendship Games as possible, so we can't be accused of cheating.” She looked at Sunset. “You came from a world of magic, could you get to the bottom of this?” 

Sunset nods. "I'll do my best, Miss Luna." She looks to the others. "Okay, I'm going to go get a head start on this. I only hope I can find something." 

Gem gives Sunset's hand a reassuring squeeze. "You're a smart girl, Sunset," she says. "You can handle this!" 

Sunset smiled. "Thanks Gem, I'll catch up later." And she headed off toward the library.

* * *

A couple hours later however, Sunset was looking less confident. She was surrounded by stacks of books, but none of them seemed to be any help. She quickly brought over the journal she used to talk with Twilight and wrote a quick message: "Hey, Twilight. Haven't heard back from you yet. I guess you must be pretty busy with your role as princess. But I could really use your advice right now. You see, I've been given the job of keeping magic under control here at CHS, even though I still haven't quite wrapped my head around it. And now after seeing Raven pony up the way she did, it makes me think her magic might be...changing. Everyone is looking to me to figure things out and I really don't wanna let them down. But I'm not sure I have enough experience with friendship magic to solve this." 

Realizing there wasn't much point in staying around, Sunset gathered her things and left the school, deciding to take the long way home. She walked alone through the streets of the city, reflecting on everything that had led to this moment. "What if I let them all down?" she asks herself, passing the cafe. "Some student of magic I turned out to be." 

Her thoughts were broken by a tapping on the window of the cafe. Inside, Adagio waved and motioned for Sunset to join her. Thinking how she needed a break form her studying, Sunset entered the cafe. 

“Hey, what's got you so down, girl?” Adagio asked as Sunset slid into the banquette seat opposite her. 

“Is it that obvious?” Sunset asked through a wan smile. “After studying magic in Equestria and traveling to a different dimension and making friends and defeating evil, I kinda need more than intramural sports."

"Have you talked to the others about it?" Adagio asked.

Sunset shrugged. "Sort of. But I don't want them to think I don't support them, or want CHS to win. It just makes me wonder if there's...more for me back home?"

Adagio shrugged. "Well, there's definitely more magic there. But there's magic here now, too," she reminded.

Sunset nodded. "Yeah, but I don't even know where to _start_ with these magic surges. Nothing I've read has even the tiniest bit of information, and my own knowledge of magic doesn't seem to be up to the task.” She slumped in her seat. “I don't think I can do this. And I don't want to let everyone down after working so hard to regain their trust.” 

Adagio took one of Sunset's hands in hers. “Listen. I have faith in you. So do all of the others. I have every confidence that you'll find an answer to this, no matter how long it takes, and you will not fail.” Adagio squeezed Sunset's hand and smiled. “Now, come on. Take a break, rest your mind for a bit, and join me in something sweet and most definitely fattening.” 

Sunset chuckled, smiled in return, and nodded. “You're on.” 

In no time at all, the two are sitting comfortably amongst two cinnamon rolls, each as large as their own faces. "I was thinking about something," Sunset said, after swallowing a bite. "We all know about Equestria's Twilight, but what about... well, ours, I guess? I didn't see much of that girl who came by the portal the other day, but she definitely had a similar skin tone... Wouldn't it be funny if it turned out that she went to Crystal Prep?" 

Adagio snorted. “This world's Twilight a 'traitor'?” she mused, putting quote marks around the last word. “That sounds like some far-fetched movie plot or something. Still, in this crazy world, one never really knows.” She peeled off a piece of her roll and popped it in her mouth. “I guess we'll see if she's there tomorrow.”

* * *

It was early the next morning as the delegation from Crystal Prep prepared to board their buses for the trip across town to face Canterlot High. Spirits were high among the group, each speculating how large the margin of victory would be, and at least one girl saying that since there was no hope for the Wondercolts to pull off a victory, they should just give Crystal Prep the trophy as soon as they arrived. 

“Enough of that, Hilary Hopeful, now take your seat,” Dean Cadance said, shooing the student toward the bus. 

Hillary sighed and took a seat. "Lousy rules," she grumbles. "Too bad I can't buy us a victory." 

"If you want my opinion," said a glasses-wearing boy whose name was Bernie Buoyant, "I think it'd be nice if the 99% got a victory every now and then. Like this time, for instance." 

"WRONG ANSWER, BUB!" shouted Rainbow Dash. She turned to face Twilight and Emerald, who had just stepped aboard themselves. "ARE WE GONNA WIN?" 

Twilight thought for a moment. "Um...I guess? I-It's just...I mean...I heard that CHS is doing well now. With their reputation. And, I mean, it's not better than ours, of course. But we can't let them do it, you know? Win, I mean? Right?" 

Emerald sighed. "Nice try, Sparks, but like I told you, you're really not that great at improv." The two moved to sit near the back of the bus. 

"That was a really bad speech Sugarcube, I’d quit yer yappin’ if I was you," said Applejack. 

"Eeyup," agreed Big Macintosh, who sat nearby.

Emerald frowned at AJ. "Lay off, will ya? Did you take your witchy pills this morning or what?" 

Twilight put a hand on Emerald's forearm. “It's okay, let's ... let's just get a set, all right?” she said. 

Emerald sighed, and nodded. “You're right, Sparks. I just can't wait for this to be over.” 

“Yeah,” Twilight said, sitting down next to Emerald, “me too.” She closed her eyes and settled in for a quiet ride, only to have that dream smashed when a set of headphones was slammed down over her ears. 

“Dude, you gotta hear this!!” shouted Pinkamena, cranking the volume of her music player and assaulting Twilight's ears with the song she was listening to. 

Emerald grabs the headphones and shoves them onto Pinkamena's head, "Way to wreck my girlfriend's hearing, bozo! And yours!" The bus starts a few moments later, drowning out the rest of her tirade. She rolls her eyes and flops back down beside Twilight again.

* * *

Meanwhile, Gem and the girls are walking into school, discussing magic. "Any progress, Sunset?" Gem asks. 

Sunset shakes her head. "Nope. Twilight hasn't answered any of my messages. I just don't understand it... in Equestria, magic does whatever you want!" 

Gem awws, then hugs her gently. "But this isn't Equestria," she finishes.

Sunset nods. "Exactly." 

"Oh relax," Sonata says cheerfully. "You've totally got this, Sunny! We have total faith in you!" Then she points. "Hey look, the Crystal Prep bus is coming into the parking lot!" 

The group watches as the shiny coach rolls up to the main entrance. “I know a certain bus driver that's probably envious of them right now,” Raven whispered to Aria, who nodded in agreement. 

Celestia and Luna greeted Cadance and Principal Cinch as they stepped from the bus. “Vice Principal Luna can help your students get settled if you'd like me to show you around, Principal Cinch," Celestia said. "There have been quite a few changes since your last visit.” 

Cinch nodded. “Oh yes, Principal Celestia. I'm sure that would be fascinating.” The two walk off with Cinch rolling her eyes behind Celestia's back. 

Luna and Cadance hugged. “It's always such a pleasure to see you, Dean Cadance. Even if it means another defeat.” 

“Thank you Vice Principal Luna, but I hear it's not going to be so easy this time.” Luna and Cadance walk off, talking together. 

As the Crystal Prep students get off the bus, Twilight is bumped into by Rainbow, which causes her to fall off the bus steps and right into Rarity. Emerald, who was following behind, helps her up. "Let's go explore," she suggests to Twilight. "I want to spend as little time with these goons as possible." 

Closer to the front entrance, Gem and the rest watch the new arrivals with great interest. "Cinch reminds me of my mother," she remarks to Raven, who giggles. "Cadance looks nice though." 

Sunset's jaw drops and she nudges Adagio. "I was right! She does go to Crystal Prep!" 

Adagio looks to where Sunset is indicating, and her eyes go wide. “If I hadn't seen it, I never would have believed it!” She nudges Aria, who in turn alerts Sonata, who taps Gem and Raven. All of them stare at the perfect twin of Twilight, walking around in a Crystal Prep uniform. 

“What's with the glasses?” Raven asks. 

“I don't know, but they're pretty adorkable, if you ask me,” Aria says. 

“Wonder who that is with her?” Sonata wonders out loud. 

“Look, they're heading into the school! Should we follow them?” Sunset asks. 

"Let's do," Gem decides, and she leads the group inside to follow after the two. Various CHS students smile and wave to Twilight, not realizing she isn't the Equestrian princess. 

Twilight is holding a circular disk resembling a clamshell in her hands. It beeps and flashes loudly in the general direction of Gem and crew. She gasps. "Look, Emmy! These readings are practically off the scale! I just knew I would find something!" 

Gem notes the device Twilight has and takes out her magic screwdriver, which buzzes loudly as it detects the other device's magical signature. "Curiouser and curiouser," she remarks. "Whatever it is she's got there appears to be built on the same principle as my magic screwdriver, but I can't see if there's a release mechanism built in..." The girls stare at her. "What? Hanging out with Carrie must be rubbing off on me at last." 

“We're just glad it's curiosity and not the penchant for sentient foodstuffs,” Raven replied. 

“Well, it is supposed to be the Friendship Games, so ... what say we go be friendly?” Sonata says, heading over to Twilight and Emerald. The others quickly follow along. 

Before anyone could stop her, Sonata goes up and shakes Twilight's hand. “Hi, Twilight!” she says cheerfully. “So, playing for the other team, are you?” 

Twilight looks confused. “How ... why does everyone know my name around here?” she asks, puzzled. 

“Don't worry too much about it, you just look like one of our friends," Adagio says, smiling warmly. "Nice to meet you, I'm Adagio Dazzle, and this is Aria, Sunset, Gemini, Raven, and the blue blur with the deathgrip on your hand is Sonata. Sonata, please let go of our new friend?” The rest of the group gather around and say hello. 

"Oh, okay," Sonata says with a sigh, reluctantly doing so. 

Emerald smiles. "I'm Emerald Wave, and this is Twilight Sparkle, but you all probably know that already." She peers thoughtfully at Sunset when they're introduced. "Didn't you turn into a raging she-demon a year ago? I saw it on the news." 

Sunset nods. "Yep. It's kind of a long story... and these three," she gestures to the Dazzlings, "Tried to take over the school a few months later, but it's thanks to these two," she gestures to Gem and Raven, "that all of us were defeated and brought to the good side." 

Twilight's device is beeping excessively, and Gem's magic screwdriver is buzzing loudly. Raven looks worried. “What's going on here, you two? Should we be running for cover right about now?” 

“I—I've never seen it do this before!” exclaimed Twilight, watching her device begin to glow. 

“ ... and our science program has especially taken off,” Celestia says to a bored-looking Cinch. Seeing Twilight, Celestia stops and looks surprised. “Twilight?” she asks. 

Both devices stopped as abruptly as they had started. Cinch cleared her throat. “I must apologize for the curiosity of my prized student,” she said, giving Twilight a hard glare. 

Celestia now looked puzzled. “Your student?”

“The smart ones are always curious,” Cinch continued. “I'll return her to check in with the rest of her classmates.” She roughly herded Twilight and Emerald away and hustled them down the hall. 

Celestia, still with a puzzled look on her face, said to no one in particular, “I didn't know Twilight had a twin sister.” 

“She doesn't!” Sonata piped up. “That Twilight is obviously the Twilight from this world since it couldn't possibly be the Twilight from the pony world because the Twilight from the pony world doesn't go to Crystal Prep or wear glasses!” Sonata grinned broadly while Aria facepalmed and Adagio rolled her eyes skyward. 

Celestia tried to process this information and come up with a clever reply. Failing this, she simply said, “Never mind,” and walked back toward her office. 

As Cinch, Twilight, and Emerald walked back to rejoin the other Crystal Preppers, Twilight tried to apologize. "I'm sorry, Principal Cinch. I was just following these strange readings. Actually, they led me to those girls and—" 

Cinch interrupted her. "Twilight, what you and Miss Wave do in your free time is of little interest to me, but while you're here, I...all of Crystal Prep, in fact, require your complete focus." 

"But why does everyone at this school seem to know me?" Twilight asks. 

"Perhaps they're trying to confuse you. Perhaps they're trying to lure you away," Cinch says. "I don't know what they're planning, but I guarantee, it isn't to help us win." 

* * *

"I can't believe our world's Twilight goes to Crystal Prep," Gem says in disbelief. 

"Our Twilight is a princess in Equestria and an expert in friendship magic! And if she was here, we'd have already figured out why magic is randomly popping up during pep rallies and costume changes!" Sunset exclaimed, looking mad. She paused. "I'm sorry. I know how important the Games are to all of you, but the magic over here is so frustrating! It makes no sense!" 

Adagio went over and hugged Sunset tight. “You're stressing again. Remember what we talked about at the cafe? You'll figure it out!"

Sunset sighed again. "That's just it. I'm not sure I _want_ to. I keep thinking that magic should behave here in the way it does in Equestria. But maybe what I really need to do is go back."

"You mean leave us?" Gem asked in surprise.

Sunset quickly shook her head, "Of course I don't wanna leave all of my friends, but I don't wanna spend my whole life wanting things to be different than they are."

Gem looked thoughtful. "Hmm... Why not just wait until after the Games, then we can all take a look at the magic over here together? If you still want to go back after that, we won't stand in your way." She smiled.

Sunset nodded. "Alright. I mean, I am already on the team. I wouldn't wanna let everyone down."

Raven went to Gem. “That screwdriver thing of yours went nuts when it got close to that pendant thing the other Twilight wears. Now, we know that the screwdriver works on magic, but what about that other thing? Is it magic, too? Or, is it some kind of magic detector? Does that mean Crystal Prep is on to us? Are we gonna have to forfeit the games?” 

Gem shushed Raven gently. “Too many questions with not enough answers. Let's sit down and see if we can't find a rational reason for that pendant setting off my screwdriver, and possibly vice-versa.” 

“We better do it quick, because we have the mixer tonight, remember,” Aria reminded everyone. A collective groan rose from the group. 

“I'll go see if I've heard from Twilight yet,” Sunset said, “and I'll catch up with you all later on.” The group breaks up to look into the strange reactions from both devices. 

* * *

On the other side of the school, the Dazzlings try to calm a visibly agitated Sunset. “Okay, deep breaths,” Adagio said in a calming tone, “ now, tell us what you meant by 'the portal's gone'.” 

After a deep breath, Sunset replies, “It means just as I said it! Earlier, the portal was at the statue, now it's not there any more! Something closed it off!” 

“But, what could have done that?” Aria asked. “Could that new Twilight have something to do with it?” 

“I can't say for sure,” Sunset answered, “but if it was her poking around at the portal the other day, then she would be the prime suspect!” 

“Let's not jump to conclusions,” Adagio said, “let's let Gem and Raven talk to her first.” 

“Any word from our Twilight yet?” Sonata asked Sunset. 

Sunset shook her head. “Not a word. And now, with the portal gone, I don't know if I'll ever get a reply. Looks like I'm all alone in figuring this one out.” 

“Not as long as you have us, right girls?” Adagio says. The other two nod and all three wrap Sunset in a big hug. “You let us know what you need and we'll do what we can to help, okay?” Adagio said to Sunset. 

“I know, and thanks.” Sunset sighs. “I guess we'd better get ready for that mixer, then.”

* * *

Meanwhile, Gem and Raven go to talk to the Crystal Prep girls, who glare as they arrive. "What do you want?" asks Rainbow Dash, pointing at Gem. "Are you here to spy on us, huh? Maybe you think you're gonna win!" Then she stares at Gem for several seconds. "Oh, you're one of -those- girls, like her." She jerks her head in Emerald's general direction. 

Raven gets right up in Dash's face, fist raised. "Shut it, prissypants. Or I'll shut it for you!" 

Gem places a hand on her shoulder, "Leave it, Raven, we're here to talk, not fight." She turns back to Twilight and Emerald. "So, we we were wondering about that pendant at yours, Twilight. What does it do, exactly?" She gives a polite smile. 

“Oh!” Twilight exclaims, surprised that someone actually wants to talk to her. “This is a sort of spectrometer. I built it myself. It tracks EM frequencies, but it can also find and contain different types of anomalies.” 

“Interesting! My cousin would love to hear more about that, makes me wish she were here right now,” Gem replied. “She's something of an inventor, too. You mentioned anomalies..." She looks thoughtful and holds her chin in thought. "I don't suppose you've seen a gigantic statue of a horse recently, have you?" 

“If you mean the statue out front, yes, I have looked at that,” Twilight said. “It's strange, I went out there earlier, and this thing went crazy, and next thing I knew it was drawing in some type of energy from the statue! And then it stopped.” 

Raven gave Gem a worried look. Gem gave a similar look and nodded.

Twilight blinks in concern. "Is everything okay? I didn't do anything wrong, did I?" 

Gem shakes her head, "You didn't do anything wrong, no... it's complicated. We'll explain later, maybe at the mixer tonight. Will you be there?" 

Twilight starts, "Well, I was kinda planning on not going, but-" 

Emerald places a finger over her mouth. "We'd love to go," she says. "It'll be nice to make some real friends. And not sit in our rooms all night. Right Sparks?" 

Twilight hangs her head and nods. “Yeah.”

* * *

That night, the two schools come together in Canterlot's gymnasium. Gem and the girls are dressed casually, while the Crystal Preppers remain in their uniforms. Vinyl Scratch is playing music, but only boring, generic background music, looking extremely put out. Each side generally sticks to their own group. 

Adagio looks around at the scene in dismay, "Oh no, no one's mingling! It's like there's some kind of underlying tension that could bubble to the surface at any minute!" She looks worried. 

"It's the fruit punch, isn't it?" asked Sonata. "I knew I used too much grape juice!" 

"No, it's not the fruit punch, it's... well, look at this place!" Adagio continues. "Where's the balloons? The dance music? The food?" 

“I can fix this!” Sonata says, dashing off in a blue blur.

Principal Celestia steps to the microphone. “Hello, everyone! I'd like to take this opportunity to greet all of our visitors from Crystal Prep Academy and welcome them to CHS.” A smattering of polite applause was heard through the gym. As Celestia continued her welcomes, Sonata slipped a record to Vinyl, who grinned and nodded before cueing the record on her turntable. Sonata smiled, and ran off over by the bleachers. 

“ ... and lastly, I would like to recognize the twelve students that CHS has elected to compete. I don't think we could have chosen a better group to represent the excellence, sportsmanship, and friendship the games stand for.” As Celestia finished her remarks, Sonata's party music began playing over Vinyl's sound system. The students from both schools began talking more, and making introductions to their counterparts. 

“Time to turn this party out!” Sonata said to herself, pulling the strings on a set of party cannons. Streamers and confetti rained down on the attendees, who began laughing and dancing with the music. Moving quickly, Sonata set out trays of snacks which were just as quickly devoured, along with the gallons of punch that Sonata had made earlier. In the midst of all of this, she began to transform into her siren self, complete with wings and tail. Sonata giggled with glee as she hovered above the floor. 

Just then, Twilight's device began to glow, and aimed itself directly at Sonata. The device opened and began drawing Sonata's magic inside itself, shutting when it had completed its task. Sonata fell to the floor, drained of energy and magic. 

The music came to an abrupt stop as Principal Cinch stepped to the microphone. “I'd like to thank Principal Celestia for her unconventional welcome. It's been four years since the last Friendship Games, but it feels as though nothing has changed. Canterlot High continues to pick its competitors in a popularity contest and Crystal Prep continues to field its top twelve students. It is a comfort to know that even after so many years of losses, your school remains committed to its ideals, however misguided they may be. I wish you all the best of luck, regardless of the inevitable outcome.” She stepped away as the scene in the gym returned to its dreary beginning. 

Gem runs to Sonata's side and helps her up. "Are you alright?" she asks, looking worried.

Sonata nods weakly, "Just a little tired," she says, yawning. "What happened?"

"That pendant of Twilight's took your magic," Raven says. "I saw it!"

"We all did," Adagio agrees. "But what can we do to stop it?" 

"I don't think we can do anything," Gem says. "That's up to Twilight, it's her device and all." She sighs. Seeing Twilight and Emerald had run off, she looks toward the gym doors. "Alright girls, let's get out of here. We have to rest up for the Games after all." 

* * *

"Twilight, I'm really starting to think this experiment of yours is a bad idea," Emerald says, as she and Twilight leave the party. "It's already taken the magic from that statue, and now that hyperactive blue girl! Isn't there something you can do to make it less dangerous?" 

“I've been trying!” Twilight protested. “It's drawn to them and their power, and I can't shut it down! I've tried everything to make it less powerful, to try to stop it from doing that, but it's been no use.” She sighs. “I've even tried taking the battery out. Silly me designed it to draw off the energy it collects. There's no shutting it off now.” 

Emerald goes over and hugs Twilight. “It'll be okay, Sparks. Let's go and rest up, we've got a long day tomorrow.” Twilight nods sadly and the two walk off together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> C: I am proud to say that in the years we’ve been doing this, only two scenes have ever needed to be played twice, and both of them appear in this book. In the case of Friendship Games, it was because our first draft was virtually identical to the movie, with the original lines of dialog being distributed randomly among our 6 protagonists. In this version, we have a better focus on Emerald and Twilight, and what they were like before the Games started. Once we get to the Games, we gloss over most of the events except for the last one, which serves as the culmination of the Dazzlings’ redemption arc.
> 
> L: Writing movies is hard. Keeping track of which of your characters shares traits with the movie characters is even harder. I’m actually glad we decided to scrap the original and start fresh, mainly because it seemed that all we were gonna do was transcribe the movies and insert our characters. Once we decided to keep the basic plot, and just let our characters be themselves, it went much smoother the second time around. Lessons learned for Legend of Everfree.


	2. Friendship Games: Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The quadrennial Friendship Games come to Canterlot High, and the girls are shocked to learn that Twilight Sparkle, their world's version of the equine princess, attends Crystal Prep Academy with her girlfriend, Emerald Wave. Twilight has been studying the magical phenomena at CHS, but Principal Abacus Cinch has her own plan to ensure that CPA's reputation remains unblemished.

The next morning, the competitors, along with the spectators from both schools, stand in the main courtyard of CHS. Vice Principal Luna and Dean Cadance step onto the podium, with Luna going to the microphone first. “Good morning, students,” her voice says over the PA system. “I'm sure you're all thrilled to start the first day of the Friendship Games.” Cheers erupt, mainly from the Crystal Prep side. “Our competitors will face off in every aspect of the CHS curriculum, culminating in the elimination equation finale.” 

Dean Cadance steps to the microphone. “Welcome to the first event, the Academic Decathlon! You'll be scored on chemistry, home-ec, and everything in between. Burt remember, only the six students from each team with the most points will move on to event number two. Good luck!” 

The two teams get to work, with Raven and Adagio pairing off to do chemistry, while Gem and Sonata do home-ec. Somehow, Gem manages to keep Sonata from preparing tacos. Sunset faces Twilight in the elimination equation finale, and is promptly eliminated. Nevertheless, her friends celebrate her attempt all the same. 

As the two teams go to prepare for the second event, Emerald and Twilight both hide behind the massive stone pillars at CHS' entrance. They watch as Gem walks over to the Canterlot High sign and sits down in a fairly secluded area. 

Removing a small teapot, a solar panel, and a small induction heater, a gift from her cousin Carrie, from her backpack, she sets these items up and pours water from a thermos into the pot. Soon, the kettle is at boil, and she shuts down the induction burner and prepares a ball of tea leaves, placing it into the pot. 

A rustling from the bushes startles Gem a little, and Twilight and Emerald poke their heads out, Twilight holding her magical detector. 

"Oh, hello," Gem says warmly, "care to join me in a cup of tea? There's plenty for all." 

"Guess we're not the only ones that enjoy a bit of civility during the day," Emerald says, tugging a reluctant Twilight out from the bushes and sitting down with Gem. "And thank you for the offer, all we have is this stuff I made several hours ago." 

Gem chuckles. "Everyone knows tea is good, but especially when it's freshly made." She retrieves three cups from her bag and a small tin of cookies, shortbread with raspberry filling. "Congratulations on winning, by the way, Miss Twilight. Though, it didn't seem like anyone on your team was very excited about it." 

Twilight sighs and looks sad. "No one at my school gets excited about anything they didn't do themselves." 

"Your school sounds positively miserable!" She pours a cup of tea and presents it to Twilight. "Here, take this, it'll help." 

"How so?" Twilight asks, clearly confused. 

"A cup of tea always makes me feel better," Gem replied, passing a cup to Emerald. "You may fix it however you like," she said, indicating the small dish of sugar packets and cream pods. 

Emerald is skeptical. "Sounds sorta ridiculous, but..." She takes a sip. "Ooh, it actually kind of works." She grins. 

Twilight takes a sip of tea. She looks quizzically at Gem. "I'm on the other team, and you just lost. Why are you being so nice to me?" 

"It looked like you needed it," Gem said with a smile. As she did so, she began to glow, floating above the ground, ears and tail becoming visible. Twilight and Emerald gasp, witnessing the transformation. Gem reaches up and brushes one of her pony ears lightly, it twitches in response. “Ooh, fur! Imagine- oh dear!” The magical detector, acting on its own, opens and begins to suck the magic from her. 

As this happens, a dimensional rift opens up beneath Emerald, sucking her into it. “Ack!” she shouts as she falls through, her teacup falling to the ground and spilling everywhere. 

After a few moments, Gem collapses on the ground, looking worn. “So that’s how your... magicy wagicy thing works...” she pants.

Seconds later, Emerald lands right in Twilight’s lap, transformed into a unicorn mare with cream-colored fur and a cutie mark of a soundwave between a pair of headphones on her flank. Investigating her new form, Emerald screams. “What the hay?! Why do I have a sudden apple craving?! Why do I have hooves and fur?!” 

Twilight screams and runs back into the school being pursued closely by Emerald. Gem, still laying on the ground, waves weakly. "Goodbye," she said, "come back anytime..." 

Twilight bursts through the school doors, followed closely by Emerald. "Sparks, come on! Wait for me!" Eventually, they reach a dead-end, with Twilight hugging the wall behind her, trying to stay as far as possible from Emerald ... or whatever Emerald was now. "Why did you run away like that?" Emerald asked, slightly hurt. 

"Um, oh, I don't know," Twilight replied nervously. "Maybe it has something to do with the glowing girl, or the hole in space. Or my new pony girlfriend!" 

Emerald smirked. "Yeah. Weird, right?" 

Once Twilight could calm down, she went over to Emerald, examining her. "Are you okay? How do you feel? What happened? Where did you go?" 

Emerald gave Twilight a playful slurp on the nose. "Hey, one question at a time! This is pretty new to me, too." 

Twilight ackpth'd and wiped her nose. "Sorry." 

Emerald sat down on her haunches. "All I know is I was sipping my tea when the ground disappeared from under me, and I was in this very colourful land filled with pastel coloured ponies. Next thing I knew, I was back in your lap!" 

"Twilight," said a cold voice. Principal Cinch was rapidly approaching. 

Twilight flung open a locker and shoved Emerald inside. "Quick! Hide in here!" A soft "ow" came form the locker as it closed. 

Principal Cinch walked straight up to Twilight. "Who are you talking to?" 

Twilight fiddled nervously. "Um, myself. It's a nervous habit. Were you looking for me?" 

"Indeed I was. Quite a coincidence that the CHS students moving on to the next event are the same nice girls who were so interested in you, don't you think?" Cinch said suspiciously. 

"I'm not sure," replied Twilight. 

Principal Cinch ignored this and continued, "Perhaps you should get to know them after all." 

Twilight was confused. "But I thought you didn't want me to." 

"Let's just say I'm covering my bases," replied Principal Cinch. "Who knows? Perhaps they will reveal to you the secret to Canterlot High's newfound success." 

Twilight was unsure. "I dunno. Spying feels kind of...wrong." 

Principal Cinch sighed. "Well, it's your decision, Twilight. It's not as if your application hangs in the balance." She started walking away, but after a beat, said with an icy tone, "On second thought, yes, it does." She walked off. 

Emerald pushed herself out of the locker. "Nasty little witch, isn't she? What are you gonna do?"

Twilight sighs. "I don't know, Emmy. I don't know." 

* * *

Meanwhile, Raven had found Gem in her usual spot, and was now helping Gem to recover. “It grabbed your magic, too?” Raven asked. 

“Yes, and that's not the worst of it. It opened a portal between our world and Equestria, I believe, and that poor Emerald girl was drawn into it,” Gem explained. “Oh, she came back after a moment or two, but she had changed.” 

“Changed?” Raven asked. “Changed, how?” 

“Emerald is now a pony,” Gem said bluntly. “Hooves, ears, long tail, fluffy mane, fur, the works! Twilight was apparently so freaked out by this she ran off.” 

“Okay, this is getting worse,” Raven declared. “First, it was stealing all of our magic, now it's opening random portals to other universes! We have to do something about that device, shut it down for good! Who knows what's gonna happen and –- oh no, what if it happens in the middle of the competition?” 

"I don't think anything can be done about it, Raven," Gem says. "Twilight has done the best she can, I'm sure, she looked worried when it took my magic. And if it does go off, well... we'll just have to do what we always do." She smiles. "But I won't say it will. Let's hope it doesn't." They head off to the athletic fields. 

* * *

The stands are full as the competition moves to the athletic fields. The fields have received a dramatic makeover to prepare them for the motocross event. An archery setup and speed skating track have also been installed. As the competitors move to their positions, Dean Cadance once again take to the podium. “Welcome, everyone, to the Friendship Games Tricross Relay!” Cheers ring out from the stands. “In this event, our qualifying competitors will face off in archery, speed skating, and finally, motocross.” She looks out over the field. “So, if the competitors are ready...” She presses the button on the portable air horn, and the first competitors head to the archery area. “Each competitor must hit a bullseye before their teammates can start the next leg of the relay.” 

Gem takes Archery along with Aria, with Fluttershy and Twilight for the Crystal Prep side. The two Wondercolts are pretty good and manage to hit both their bullseyes, but Twilight has some difficulties. 

"You have to stop aiming at the target, and aim at where it's going to be," Aria advises her, much to Fluttershy's chagrin. The trick works all the same, and Aria sirens up, but as she does, Twilight's pendant sucks out the magic from her, just like before. 

Meanwhile, the motocross and speedskating teams are up to their necks in trouble, as another portal to Equestria has opened up, sending forest creatures onto the playing field and attacking the competitors. 

Deftly weaving their way through the strange plants springing up through the portals, Adagio and Sonata manage to cross the finish line, clearing the way for Sunset and Raven to begin the motocross portion of the competition. Twilight struggles frantically to get her pendant under control as more portals open up along the motocross track. 

Sunset brakes hard as a plant springs up in front of her, and as the vines threaten to grab her, Raven is able to fend off the plant long enough for Sunset to get back on her bike. Raven ponies up during this, and Celestia feigns ignorance as Cinch glowers hard at her. Keeping the vines at bay long enough, Sunset is able to finish the race and cross the finish line first. 

“Canterlot wins!” Cadance announces. More portals open up. “Attention all students, please proceed to the gym.” The stands empty as spectator and competitor alike file into the school. 

The group runs over to Twilight, who is still struggling to get her device under control. “I—I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I just wanted to learn about the strange energy coming from your school. I didn't know it was magic ... or how it works.” 

“That's okay,” said a ponified Raven. “Neither do we.” As she finishes talking, the device drains the magical energy from her.

Twilight tries frantically to stop it. “Oh no! Oh, no no no! Not again!” The device finally shuts down. “I'm sorry!” Twilight apologized. “It just started absorbing energy on its own, but I'm not sure how!” A portal opens, and quickly closes. “It also causes these corresponding rifts to appear! I don't know how that works, either.” 

Sunset is livid. “Is there anything you do know? Like, how to get our magic back? Or how to fix the portal to Equestria?” 

Twilight looks confused. “Equestria?” 

Sunset continues her rant. “You're supposed to be so smart, but did you ever think that you shouldn't be messing around with things you don't understand? And, worst of all, you put the lives of my friends in danger!” 

Tears flow from Twilight's eyes. “I wanted to understand! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to – “ She runs off, sobbing.

Emerald, standing nearby, shoots a look to Sunset before galloping off after Twilight. “Twilight, wait!” she calls out. 

"Sunset Shimmer, that was -not- the way to speak to her and you know it," Gem says, frowning. "You saw how she reacted when Raven's magic was stolen. I don't believe she's doing this out of malice. While I recognize that you do have a point, yelling and making her cry wasn't the way to go about driving it home." 

"It's not her I'm angry at," Sunset shouts. She looks down at the ground, "It's me. I should know how to control the magic I brought here. But I don't. I let everyone down. And now Principal Cinch thinks we're cheating. The students here at CHS don't just wanna win. They wanna beat Crystal Prep. It isn't gonna count if the other side doesn't really think they lost. Crystal Prep is never gonna believe we won fair and square if there's magic around. And that magic is only around... because of me." She walks off, looking forlorn.

* * *

Ominous-looking clouds gather over the school building as the two groups of students arrive for the final event, a game of Capture the Flag. As the teams prepare, the Crystal Prep side sing [a song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqp7xocwzlg) to goad Twilight into releasing the magic and ensuring a Crystal Prep victory. She does so, creating a huge magical bubble that she is then drawn into, her glasses falling to the ground. "HEEEEELP MEEEEE!" she cries.

Emerald watches her, helpless. "Twilight, NO!" She gallops over to the Canterlot High side and gets the attention of the first person she sees, which happens to be Adagio. "You gotta help her! Save her, or something! Please!" 

As she speaks, the bubble bursts, [revealing](http://pre11.deviantart.net/ba10/th/pre/i/2015/282/1/1/midnight_sparkle_by_mixiepie-d9chdfy.png) a transformed Twilight. She has dark purple skin, pink and purple hair that flows around her head like fire, a long, glowing horn with a few holes in it, and is wearing a dress made of purple and pink fabric. Around her eyes are two pale blue shapes resembling glasses, and from her back sprouts a pair of enormous, dark wings.

As the students run for cover, Principal Cinch runs as fast as she can in the other direction. 

"Where are _you_ going?!" Emerald shouts, cantering after her.

"Anywhere!" Cinch replies, "As long as it's away from that _monster_!"

Emerald is furious. She leaps into the air and pounces on Cinch, teeth bared and ears pulled back. "THAT MONSTER IS MY GIRLFRIEND, YOU BITCH!" she screams.

“Oh ... oh no,” Adagio says, staring up at the new she-demon hovering above the crowd. Aria and Sonata join her, gazing upon Twilight as she begins to laugh maniacally. 

“Yes ... yes, it all makes perfect sense now!” she begins opening portals to Equestria with her newly-gained magical abilities. “Soon, I, Midnight Sparkle, will know everything about Equestrian magic! And, I will use that knowledge to have my revenge upon those that dared to mock me!” 

Portal after portal opens, the residents of Equestria gazing in horror at the strange bipedal forms they see, while the humans stare wide-eyed at the land of pastel-colored miniature horses. 

Twilight directs her gaze to Principal Cinch, who is safe after Gem dragged Emerald off of her. “You!! You wanted me to use this magic to gain you another victory, using me as your pawn as you've done over so many years. Now, the tables are turned, and you shall be MY minion now!” She laughs as Cinch cowers, shaking in fear, at Midnight's outburst. 

Picking up the device, Adagio calls out to Midnight. “NO, this isn't the way!” Aria and Sonata join Adagio. “This power cannot grant you everything you want, we know this! We once felt like you did, tried to enslave this world. But, we were beaten by stronger magics – honesty, loyalty, kindness, generosity, laughter, and combined, they produce the strongest magic of all ... the magic of friendship!” Adagio opens the device, releasing the trapped magic. Instantly, the three sirens transform into three separate magical beings. 

Midnight refuses to give up, putting up a good magical fight. Several portals of various sizes open up, and several students from both schools fall through them, only to be caught by other kids or by concerned pegasi on the other side. 

Raven screams as she slips into one, hanging on to the edge by her fingertips. Though her head and hands remain as they are, the rest of her body (being on the Equestrian side) transforms into that of a pony. Rainbow Dash and Gem grab Raven's hands and pull her to safety. "We've got you!" Dash shouts.

With the Dazzlings looking almost beaten, Midnight takes a victory lap. "I'm tired of being pushed around and manipulated, it's time I showed the world what I can be! You will all bow before me!" she shouts, glaring down at the panicking crowd below.

Then sobs reach her ears. Emerald is cowering, being held by Sunset, who's running her fingers through her mane. Emerald looks up, fear evident on her face. "Sparks..." she whispers. "Please..." 

Briefly, Twilight's eyes go back to normal, and her heart shatters. "Emerald..." That gives the opening the Dazzlings need to take Midnight into a white void. 

Adagio offers her hand, followed by her sisters. "Take our hands, Twilight. Let us show you there's another way... just like someone once did for us." She thinks fondly of Longhaul, Gem, and all their other friends. And after a long moment, Twilight accepts the offer. 

Back in her true form, Twilight kneels on the ground, crying. "I am so sorry...I didn't mean for any of this to happen..." 

“The power is intoxicating, I know,” Aria said, “it turned me against my own sisters until I was shown there was a better way.” 

“We can help you,” Sonata said, indicating Gem and Raven, who had been joined by Sunset, who had returned once she saw what was happening. “We've all had our moments, but we stand by each other and help one another. That's what friendship truly is.” 

The group, Emerald included, gather around Twilight and give her a huge hug. After the hug, Emerald pops back into human form. "What a relief! I have fingers again!" Everyone laughs.

Meanwhile, things with the administrators are less cheerful. Principal Cinch looks furiously to Principal Celestia as she barks, "On behalf of Crystal Prep, I demand that you forfeit the Friendship Games! Clearly, CHS has had unfair advantage for quite some time! And it's certainly obvious that your students have been using magic for their own benefit!"

"I'd like to think that saving the world benefits us all," Celestia says dryly.

"At least they didn't manipulate Twilight into releasing all the stolen magic and turning into a power-crazed magical creature that tried to rip the world apart just to win a game," Rarity adds.

"That's ridiculous!" Cinch says, scoffing.

Rainbow Dash rolls her eyes. "Oh please, that's pretty much what happened."

"Eeyup," agrees Applejack, doing a good impression of her older brother.

Principal Cinch remains undeterred. "Obviously my students have been infected with your magic, but I plan on taking all of this up with the school board!"

Principal Celestia smirks. "Good. I'm sure they would be very interested in hearing all about the magical students with wings."

"Oh, and the portals to different dimensions," Luna adds.

"And don't forget to tell them about the talking pony," agrees Cadance.

"Because that would never ruin your reputation!" Fluttershy says.

Cinch gives up, simply turning on her heel and heading back to the coach. Once she’s gone, Principal Celestia speaks. “Well, I know these Friendship Games haven't been what any of us expected, but given what we've all just been through, I think it's fair to declare us all winners.”

As the students cheer, Dean Cadance turns to Twilight and Emerald. “I guess that was one way to finish up your time at Crystal Prep,” she says. “Pretty sure Cinch will be fast-tracking your application after all of that.” She smiles at Twilight.

Twilight shrugs. “We’ve been thinking about it and... I'm not so sure now is the time for me to apply to Everton.”

“Really?” Cadance asks in surprise.

Emerald nods. “We may know about a lot of things, but friendship isn't really one of them. And we’re definitely not gonna learn more about it by being alone all the time, are we Sparks?”

Twilight shakes her head. “We sure aren’t! And besides, it seems the students here at CHS know an awful lot about the subject. I don't suppose we could transfer to this school instead?”

Cadance thinks. “You'd certainly be missed at Crystal Prep. But I think that's a great idea! I'll be sure to speak to Principal Celestia about it right away.”

“Still no word from Princess Twilight?” Gem asks, as she and the others come to join Twilight and Emerald.

Sunset Shimmer shakes her head. “Not yet. But I think I may have figured out how magic works in this world. We pony up when we're showing the truest part of ourselves. I was so busy waiting for someone else to give me the answers that I gave up looking for them myself. I'm sure there will be more magical problems that pop up in this world, but Princess Twilight has her own problems to worry about in Equestria. We can't expect her to always be around to help us.”

“But maybe I… we… can be?” Twilight asks wonderingly. “I'm not sure how much help we could be. But we’d like to try, if you would all give us a chance.” She and Emerald hold hands, watching the others’ faces.

Principal Celestia smiles. “It seems we have two new Wondercolts here at Canterlot High! I'm sure I can count on you girls to help them feel at home.”

“You sure can,” says Adagio, smiling too. Sonata squees.

* * *

Twilight hadn’t exactly expected to be right. As she stepped into the shower and turned on the water, (to a precise 92.4 degrees Fahrenheit) the first place her mind took her was on all the things she had learned in the past few weeks.

Truth be told, Twilight had learned a lot, just when she thought she had learned everything. She learned that Equestrian magic existed and could be used, that it transformed whoever used it, and she had only begun to learn about the most important magic of all: friendship. This kind of studying couldn’t happen from a book, she had to get out there and live it.

Which, Twilight supposed as she squirted shampoo onto her palm and began working it through her hair, was exactly what Emerald had been trying to tell her since they’d started dating. It was one of their regular points of disagreement: Twilight wanted to spend the rest of her academic career alone, so she wouldn’t be distracted from, presumably, advancing the sciences. By contrast, Emerald had told her repeatedly that the only way to truly learn was to study life as it happened, not just read about it from a book. And she had been absolutely right. It had just taken Twilight a while (and a transformation into a power-crazed she-demon) to truly understand.

Rinsing the shampoo from her hair, Twilight stared for a little at the face in her father’s shaving mirror. Light lavender skin, purple eyes, navy blue hair streaked with purple and pink, currently undone and, much like the rest of her, sopping wet. Staring longer, she saw another face. This one had darker skin, purple and pink hair that resembled flames, crazed eyes with pale blue sclera and purple pupils, and just visible were a pair of demonic wings, and a long glowing horn filled with holes. Twilight squeaked and jumped back, slipped, and fell hard on the shower floor. “Ow…”

“Are you okay, Twilight dear?” shouted her mother.

“I’m fine, Mom,” Twilight shouted back, getting unsteadily to her feet and squirting some body wash onto a loofah. She saw that face every time she looked in a mirror now. It was like it was haunting her. Emerald had called that self “Midnight Sparkle,” which seemed to fit. Sunset had admitted she still saw and even had nightmares about her own demon form, even now. She wondered if that form would come back to haunt her someday, literally.

Twilight sighed as she ran the loofah across herself. “I’m never going to live that down…” she muttered.

* * *

Stepping out of the shower some minutes later, Twilight retreated to her room and toweled off, slipped into a pair of panties and a bra, then went to her closet. Opening it, she saw an assortment of dresses, blouses, shirts, and hoodies mixed with jeans and skirts. Shoved into the very back was her old Crystal Prep uniform, unworn since her first day at CHS, when she’d put it on automatically without realizing her mistake until she arrived at school and saw everyone else in casual dress. Embarrassed, Twilight had very quickly borrowed some spare clothes from Adagio Dazzle and gone about the rest of her day, trying to put Crystal Prep out of her mind.

Looking away from the old ensemble, Twilight’s eyes flicked to the blue and yellow hoodie she’d been given at the end of her first week as part of a “Welcome to Canterlot High” party thrown by Sonata Dusk. She put it on, paired it with a matching skirt, then grabbed the ear headband and the faux tail, making her look a bit like a horse. Or a pony. Staring again at her reflection in the mirror, she danced a small jig, and sang under her breath: “I'm gonna be myself, No matter what I do, And if we're different yeah, I want you to be true to you! If you follow me, we'll put our differences aside, we'll stick together and start working on that school pride!”

As she danced, she was unceremoniously greeted by a vision of Midnight wearing the same outfit and doing the same thing, and she giggled, amused. That was funny. “If only I could draw,” Twilight said, blinking the vision away. “Emerald would love that…”

Seized by a sudden idea, Twilight grabbed her phone and quickly dialled her girlfriend's number. 

Emerald picked up on the first ring. "Yo, Sparks! What's up?"

Twilight smiled, "Hi Emmy... I just wanted to know if you're busy at the moment?"

Emerald smiled as she clicked the Save button on her computer monitor, "Nope! Just finished mastering a project. Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering if I can come over. Is that okay?"

Emerald laughed, "Of course it is, Twi! Come over whenever, you know my door is always open!"

Twilight nodded. "I'll be over soon."

* * *

A half hour later, the bus pulled up in front of Emerald Wave's house. Twilight stepped off, wearing a plain pair of blue jeans, white tennis shoes, and a dark purple t-shirt with a picture of a galaxy on it over a blue denim jacket. She walked up to the door and rang the bell.

Emerald pulled it open a few seconds later, and beamed. "Alright, you made it! Come on in!" She pulled Twilight into the house, making herself comfortable on the couch. Twilight joined her. The TV was tuned to a classic rock music channel.

"So, what's up?" Emerald asked curiously. "You usually don't come by unless there's a reason."

Twilight was quiet for a while as she considered her words, then she finally spoke. "Every time I look in the mirror, I keep having visions of... well, of her."

"Midnight?" guessed Emerald.

Twilight nodded, "It just started today... first in the shower, then in my room, before I called you. You don't think anything is wrong with me, do you Emmy? Am I going to turn into her again? What if I hurt you? What if-" The tirade of words was stopped by the gentle application of a yellow hand.

Emerald turned Twilight's head to face hers, and spoke: "Twilight. Listen to me. You're going to be okay. You aren't going to turn into a monster again. I don't know why you're having visions of her, but I don't think it's anything to worry about. But if you're still worried, talk to Sunset and Adagio." She removed her hand, smiled, and kissed Twilight's nose. "I will always love you, no matter what. Got it?"

Twilight nodded, feeling reassured. "I've got it. Thanks, Emerald. You're the best girlfriend I've ever had!"

Emerald laughed, "I'm the only girlfriend you've ever had, Sparks! Besides, you aren't so bad yourself!" She reached on over and handed Twilight the TV remote, "Netflix and chill?" she asked.

Twilight nodded in confirmation. "Netflix and chill." They then watched Netflix and drank soda. That was all.

* * *

The following day, Twilight had organized a chat with herself, Sunset, and Adagio. Given that the other two girls were the only ones who had been recipients of malignant magical power, she felt they would have the best advice on what to do with her own issues. So they sat together at Canterlot City Cafe the next afternoon, nursing cups of iced coffee.

“So, let me see… you say you have periodic visions of your magically-augmented self each time you look into a mirror?” Adagio asked.

Twilight nodded, “These days, all I have to do is stare at my reflection for a long time and she appears… I’m afraid it’s going to be permanent.”

Sunset nodded, “That’s a valid concern… I had similar visions those first weeks after the Fall Formal.”

“I’m glad I’m not alone in this,” Twilight says, giving a relieved smile.

Adagio smiles back, placing a yEllie hand on Twilight’s lavender one. ”You have nothing to worry about! All of us were weak when we let the darkness into our hearts, but as we know, friendship is far more powerful.” She gives Twilight a quick hug. “Sunset and I will always be there for you if you need us. We promise.”

* * *

The following week, Dean Cadance came to Twilight’s door. “Dean Cadance?!” Twilight gasped in surprise. “What are you doing here? I mean, not that I’m not happy to see you, I am, since you’re kind of my sister in law, but… still! What are you doing here?”

Cadance smiled. “It might be a little out of the blue, but Principal Cinch has decided to retire after the current school year ends, making me the new principal of Crystal Prep. And while both of us know we can’t ask you to come back, she did say she’d like to speak with you before she leaves.”

Twilight nods. “That sounds fair, I’ll be right back.” She quickly changed into her old uniform, then followed Cadance outside.

As the two drove to the old school, Cadance made conversation. “Shining tells me you’ve been doing pretty well over at Canterlot High,” she says. “Is it true you’ve been making friends?”

Twilight nods. “Gemini and the rest of the girls have all been really nice to me, I’m glad I met them when I did!”

Cadance smiled. “They sound like lovely people,” she says. “I’ll have to meet them myself someday.” They then pulled into CPA’s parking lot and headed inside the building.

The school was empty, since most of the students had gone home for the weekend. As they climbed the stairs to Cinch’s office, Twilight voiced the question that had been bothering her. “Why does she want to meet with me? I would’ve thought, after everything that happened…”

Cadance smiled. “I can tell you she bears no ill will toward you for our first real loss.”

Twilight blinked. “Really? But I would’ve thought that she would!”

Cadance shook her head, “As it turns out, she’s had some time to rethink things…” The pair went into the office, which looked very different from the last time Twilight had been there. For starters it was brightly lit, and all the furniture had been packed away in boxes. Cinch stood by the window, and turned when they entered. “Ah, Twilight,” she said with a real, genuine smile. “How lovely to see you.”

Twilight blinked. “Principal Cinch? Is everything okay?”

Cinch nodded, “Everything is perfectly okay, I just need to tell you something.” She walked closer to Twilight. “As I’m sure you know, I will be retiring at the end of this school year. The events of the Friendship Games were… illuminating, to say the least.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked.

Cinch sat down in her chair, the only other non-box object in the room. “I was a very driven young girl, especially at your age… my parents were very strict, and they instilled in me the belief that to be the best, one had to destroy her competitors utterly. That philosophy carried me through most of adulthood, and stayed with me when I became principal of this school. Throughout my time here, I have created a school culture that prides success above everything else, even friendship.” 

Cinch stopped, and met Twilight’s eyes. “It wasn’t until I signed the papers confirming your transference to Canterlot High School that I realized I had done something terribly wrong. And the reports your brother has made concerning the activities of your friends have only confirmed that.” She adjusts her glasses. “You taught me a valuable lesson, Twilight. Much like you, I did not have very many friends as a child. My parents kept me cordoned off, believing that mixing with people not of our class would corrupt me. Your friendship with Miss Gemini Shadow, who is herself a noblewoman, has proven that theory incorrect. Inter-class friendships do not corrupt people, it makes them better.”

“Then, why are you retiring?” Twilight asked.

Cinch chuckled. “Dean Cadance has shown qualities that I lack. It is my belief that under her rule, Crystal Prep Academy will reach new heights of success, with a culture far less reserved and more open to tolerance.” Then she smiled, and offered Twilight her hand. “It has been a pleasure, Twilight Sparkle. Good luck in your future endeavors.”

Twilight took the hand, and smiled back. “So long, Principal Cinch. And thank you.”

* * *

"So, how'd it go with Cinch?" Emerald asked, as Twilight returned from the school.

Twilight smiled. "It was great! I learned why she did what she did, and she apologized for it all."

Emerald nodded. "Good to see there's a good side to her after all."

“There’s one other thing,” Twilight said, sitting beside Emerald on the couch. “I keep seeing… _her_ in the mirror. Midnight Sparkle.”

Emerald placed a calming hand on her girlfriend’s shoulder. “I bet it’s nothing,” she says. “You don’t have anything to worry about!”


	3. The Transfer Students

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Twilight and Emerald transfer to CHS, but the move isn't as smooth as they'd hoped. Emerald harbors some suspicions about Gem, and is reluctant to become her friend.

Twilight Sparkle's alarm went off an hour earlier than she was used to. She usually woke up precisely at 7:00, meaning she had time for a quick shower and breakfast before throwing on her uniform and boarding the bus to Crystal Prep when it arrived at 7:45. But today was a different kind of school day: the day she started at Canterlot High. 

Twilight woke up and blearily reached for her glasses, slipped them on, and turned on the light, illuminating the room in the warm, yellowish ambiance of halogen lamps. She then threw off her covers and slipped out of bed, revealing the nightgown she wore over her thin body. It was blue and covered in stars toward the bottom, looking not unlike her pony counterpart's first Gala dress, not that she knew that. 

Twilight walked over to her closet and considered her clothing options. Automatically she reached for her Crystal Prep uniform, but stopped as her fingers made contact with the jacket. "No, Twilight, we don't need that anymore..." she said to herself. Instead, she picked out a blue-green hoodie, a pink t-shirt with a purple moon and some stars on the front, a purple skirt, black leggings with pink stars on them, socks that matched the hoodie, purple and white tennis shoes with pink accents, and a pink hair bow to finish. It was a very different look to what she was used to, but Gem had convinced her that it was worth trying. 

Once her clothes were laid out, she changed out of her nightgown and went to take a shower, letting the warm water run over her skin. When that was done, she dressed and went to make herself breakfast. 

"Morning, Twily," said a deep voice from the living room. It was Shining Armor, her big brother and member of the Canterlot Police Department. 

Twilight smiled. "Morning, BBBFF!" she said, hugging him tight.

"Looking forward to starting at your new school?" Shining asked, smiling back. 

Twilight nodded. "Definitely. Principal Celestia said all my credits should transfer over from Crystal Prep, so I won't be missing anything. Gem said she'd let me borrow her notes though, just in case." 

Shining nodded. "Good to hear, Twilight. I'm glad you're finally going somewhere that makes you truly happy." 

"Me too," Twilight agreed. "Emerald's happy too, of course. She says it'll be great to go to a school where she won't get bullied and teased every day like she was at Crystal Prep." 

"I can imagine," Shining agreed. "Still, in case anyone does try anything, let her know that she can tell me." 

"I will," Twilight replied. "Thanks, big brother."

Shining smiled and ruffled his sister's hair with his fingers, "Anything for you, little sis." 

* * *

Longhaul's bus route didn't cover Twilight's section of town, so she and Emerald were picked up by a different driver when the bus arrived at their stop. As they boarded, the two of them had no problems finding good seats, and both girls were struck by how _happy_ everyone aboard seemed to be.

Emerald looked around at the other students with a wary expression on her face. "People who are just talking for the sake of talking. Not about how rich they are, or how masculine I look, or how much of a nerd you are, or how much sex they've had or the parties they've thrown. It's strange." 

"It's giving me some good feelings about our new school," Twilight said. "I can't wait to see Gem and everyone again." 

Emerald nodded. "Yeah, sure." She didn't sound too enthusiastic.

Twilight blinked. "Are you okay, Emerald? I would've thought you'd be happy to be out of Crystal Prep!"

"And I am," Emerald replied, raising her hands. "Don't get me wrong. I just didn't expect the Canterlot High kids to act the way they are."

"I'm sure you have nothing to worry about," Twilight said with a smile, patting her girlfriend's hand. "Everything's going to be just fine." Then she leaned back and wrapped an arm around Emerald's shoulders, nuzzling her gently as the bus drove off toward the other end of town. 

* * *

Twilight's good mood faded when she saw the school itself. The front lawn still bore plenty of damage from what she had done as Midnight Sparkle, even though the cleanup crews had spent the weekend repairing what they could. "You don't think everyone'll hate me, do you Emmy?" she asked, as they disembarked. 

Emerald gripped Twilight's hand tight. "They'd better not, or they'll have to go through me." 

"But... a she-demon!" Twilight insisted. "I turned into a raging she-demon!" She looked around. "No offense." 

"None taken, and the school eventually got over it," said a new voice. Sunset Shimmer stepped off of Longhaul's bus and joined the crowd headed toward the main doors, with Gem, Raven, and the Dazzlings following along in her wake. She smiled and placed a hand on Twilight's shoulder. "Believe me when I say that the students here are a lot more forgiving now. They're not going to hold a grudge against you like the did for me and Dagi." 

"Besides, you have six friends who will stay by your side no matter what happens," Gem agreed, smiling at both of the ex-Crystal Prep students. "Raven and I have become rather adept at this sort of thing." 

"You watch," Raven said, smirking. "Next thing you know, some kinda bug queen will be coming through that portal and causing havoc." Everyone laughed, and headed inside at last. 

"So Twilight, what's your first class?" Gem asked, as the group split up to go to their respective lockers. 

Twilight unfolded her schedule and took a quick look. "World History," she said. "Room 221." 

Gem smiled, "That's wonderful! Adagio and I are in there too. You can sit with us if you like!" 

Twilight looked astonished. "There isn't a seating chart?" 

Gem shook her head. "Mr. Wensley is remarkably casual about that sort of thing. You'll understand better once class starts." After Adagio joined them, the three walked upstairs toward the history wing, continuing to talk. 

Twilight looked thoughtful. "Adagio, I was wondering... Gem says you've been around a while, but I was wondering exactly how long?" 

Adagio grinned. "Well, have you ever read _The Odyssey_?" 

Twilight nodded. "It's one of my favorite books! Why do you ask?" 

Adagio smiled more. "Let's just say I have some personal experience with Mr. Odysseus. Mr. Wensley has informed me many times that my essays are some of the best he's ever read, because nearly all of them are taken from personal experience." 

Twilight's jaw dropped. "You're _kidding_!"

Gem shook her head, "She really isn't! If you can name any significant historical event, she and her sisters were probably there." 

"We started the Civil War unit before the Games," Adagio added. "We didn't fight, of course, but we did support the Union. There is a world of difference between wanting to be adored through song and human bondage, and I can assure you, none of us would've ever owned slaves, even though it was common practice in this country for ladies as well off as we were." They broke off as they entered Mr. Wensley's classroom, and led Twilight to their usual table toward the back of the room. 

Mr. Wensley was a green-skinned man in his early 30s with blonde hair. He smiled at the trio as they entered. "Morning Miss Dazzle, Miss Shadow," he said. "And you are Miss Sparkle, right?" 

Twilight nodded. "Yes sir, it's nice to meet you, sir." 

Mr. Wensley smiled. "And you! Principal Celestia told me all about your time at Crystal Prep. Luckily for you, we're covering about the same material at the same pace, so you haven't really missed much. There was a paper due last Monday, but I won't make it an assignment for you." 

"That's okay, sir," Twilight replied. "I love research projects! The smell of old books, the dull hum of everyone studying in the library... I find them to be very relaxing!" 

Wensley chuckled. "Such enthusiasm is very much appreciated. In that case, I'll expect it by Friday. The topic has to be a particular battle of the Civil War, but it can be whichever one you like." The rest of the class filed in shortly after, and the lesson began. 

* * *

The eight friends regrouped at the cafeteria following 4th period. Emerald looked around at the tables filled with chattering teens, and the long line of kids holding trays grouped around the serving area. "Whoa... So this is what public school is like..." 

Gem chuckled as she led the girls into the line, "Indeed! I was very surprised on my first day, but I got used to it. The food isn't bad either!" 

"What was it like at CPA?" Raven asked Twilight. 

Twilight thought for a moment. "Well, since it was a private school for rich students, they were not required to follow the government lunch program guidelines." As she spoke, Granny Smith unloaded a generous portion of nachos onto each tray. 

"So instead, they got these really fancy chefs to cook whatever each individual student felt like eating," Emerald added. "It was like a restaurant, except instead of paying for meals with cash, you just used your meal card." She took out her wallet to reveal her old Crystal Prep ID, which had a barcode on the back. 

"The food was comparable to five star restaurant, and the portions were the same too," Twilight finished. 

Gem wrinkled her nose. "Good grief, it sounds like Trottingham Prep..." "Is that where you went before coming here?" Emerald asked. 

Gem nodded. "I didn't last long. They threw me out because I covered for my cousin when she went to this nightclub that students weren't supposed to go to. I don't miss it, Canterlot High is much better." 

The girls paid for their meals and walked to their usual table in a back corner of the room. As they tucked in to their meals, a grey-skinned girl with black hair and purple eyes approached them. She smiled. "You are Miss Twilight Sparkle and Miss Emerald Wave, correct?" she asked, in a voice that was every bit as posh as Gem's, though it was a Canterlot dialect. 

Twilight nodded and smiled. "Mmhm! It's nice to meet you, Miss..." 

"Octavia Melody," confirmed the girl, smiling. "I was wondering if the two of you would like to come to this week's meeting of the Rainbow Alliance." 

"What's the Rainbow Alliance?" Emerald asked, tilting her head to one side. 

"It's a club for LGBTQ people," Octavia explained. "Gemini started it when she was a sophomore. Every Friday, we come together in one of the empty classrooms on the second floor and talk, eat snacks, and generally have a good time. Since it's a safe space, you need not worry about being mocked." 

Emerald smiled. "I'll give it a shot. How 'bout you, Sparks?" 

"Let's do it!" Twilight said happily. "We'll be there, Octavia!" 

Octavia nodded and took out a piece of paper, then wrote something on it in black pen. "This is our MyStable page," she explained. "Feel free to join up, you'll get notifications about when meetings are and other activities." 

"You got it!" Emerald said, giving Octavia a thumbs-up. 

* * *

At the end of that week, Twilight and Emerald went to the room where the Rainbow Alliance meeting would be held. The door was wide open, and Gem and Raven stood on either side, welcoming students as they entered. 

One of the new arrivals was a girl with light brown skin and long turquoise hair, which she decorated with a pin shaped like a snail. Gem smiled. "Glitter Shell! How wonderful to see you!" she gushed, giving her a hug. 

Glitter Shell smiled. "It's good to see you too, Gem," she said quietly. "Who are these girls?" She gestured to Emerald and Twilight. 

"Glitter, this is Emerald Wave and Twilight Sparkle," Raven introduced. "How could you have missed them?" 

Glitter ran a hand through her hair and blushed. "I was home sick," she admitted. "It's good to be back though, I wouldn't miss this for the world!" 

The five headed inside and Gem closed the door behind them, then walked up to the front of the room. "Good afternoon, and welcome to this week’s meeting of the Rainbow Alliance!" she announced, practically bouncing in her boots. "I’m very pleased to announce that there are two more wonderful people joining us today. Allow me to introduce Twilight Sparkle and her girlfriend, Emerald Wave!"

Applause met these words as Twilight, blushing brightly, gave the crowd a bashful wave.

The crowd broke into groups to chat and otherwise hang out, some gathering by the snack tables while others made tables out of a group of desks. Gem turned to Emerald and Twilight. "Are you two enjoying yourselves so far?"

Emerald shrugged. “It’s okay. Crystal Prep didn’t really do that sort of thing. Everyone there was all into being the best, no matter what.”

“So I noticed,” Gem agreed, before walking over to a table and pouring herself and Emerald some punch. “CHS is far more tightly knit, don’t you think?” she asked, handing Emerald her glass.

Emerald took it and sipped, shrugging again. “I guess. Seems a little creepy sometimes, if you ask me. Like something out of a kids’ movie.”

Gem quirked an eyebrow, surprised at this pronouncement. “What do you mean?”

“Look at how well these kids are getting along,” Emerald continued. “I always heard that in public school, there was a huge amount of drama. Who’s dating who, who just broke up with who, who’s failing, who’s succeeding, who’s going to be the captain of the soccer team, how the football team is doing, and all the rest of it. Not to mention the classic social totem pole.”

“Canterlot High used to have drama like you describe,” Gem explained, “But ever since I’ve been here, things have improved.”

“And what makes you so special?” Emerald asked, continuing to drink her punch. “Did you bring them together with the power of friendship or something?”

“As a matter of fact, I did,” Gem replied. “It’s a long story, but i’ll try to explain as best I can…” She launched into the story of how her first few days at CHS went, ending with the night of the fall formal.

Emerald took all this in with an utterly deadpan expression. “So, let’s see,” she began. “The former Queen Bitch stole a magical artifact from another world, used it to become a raging she-demon, then you, your magician girlfriend, and some princess who looks exactly like my girlfriend defeated her with the power of rainbows, and you all lived happily ever after.” She leans back in her chair. “I can’t believe this…”

“What can’t you believe?” Gem asked, sounding surprised, hurt, and a little irritated all at the same time. “That extending the hand of friendship to those who harmed you can lead to good things? That the world isn’t out to get you just because you’re different?”

“Easy for you to say,” Emerald shot back. “When have you ever faced real hardship? You’re so rich, you can solve your problems just by throwing money at it! Am I really supposed to believe you did all this out of the goodness of your own heart?”

“it’s the truth!” Gem exclaimed. “I promise you!”

“Maybe it is,” Emerald replied. “I don’t care. All I know is, that magic you talked about turned my girlfriend into a monster and nearly got the rest of us killed. And then there’s _you_.” She jabbed a finger into Gem’s chest. “I’ve seen your type before. Rich outsider chick goes to school with the plebeians and wraps them around her fingers until all of a sudden, she’s got them eating out of the palm of her hand. At CPA, that was Rarity Belle. And from the sound of things, you’re going to end up just like her.” She turned on her heel. “I’m out. This place gives me the creeps.” She left, closing the door behind her.

* * *

"So how did the meeting go?" Vinyl Scratch asked Octavia Melody. The two teens were sitting together in Vinyl's apartment, with Vinyl taking her usual place behind her turntables, and Octavia sitting on the opposite side of the room, removing her cello from its case.

Octavia shrugged. "It went... okay, I guess. At least at first. Gem introduced us to a couple of new girls from Crystal Prep... Twilight Sparkle and Emerald Wave."

Vinyl blinked. "Twilight Sparkle? Wasn't she the girl who won the Fall Formal Princess election a couple years ago?"

Octavia shook her head. "Gem said that was a different Twilight, whatever that means."

"What about that Emerald Wave girl?" Vinyl asked. "What was she like?"

Octavia frowned. "I don't know what to make of her... she yelled at Gem, accusing her of being fake... then she left, only to be followed by Twilight a few minutes later." She began tuning her cello strings. "That was when Raven ended the meeting early and sent us all home."

"Huh... weird." Vinyl nodded. "Maybe tomorrow I'll find this Emerald girl and talk to her, see what she's all about. I gotta say, anyone who can look at Gem and think she's a conniving bitch has got to have some pretty nasty issues."

Octavia chuckled, and got up to kiss Vinyl's cheek. "You're going to play music for her, aren't you? Like when you brought Gem and Raven back together?"

Vinyl nodded. "Music brings people together, Tavi. You and I know that better than anyone!" She picked up her MP3 player from the table and left the living area/workspace, disappearing into her room.

* * *

“Emmy, are you okay?” Twilight asked, knocking on the door of her girlfriend’s room. “I’ve never seen you get that mad before… do you want to talk about it?”

“Sure,” came Emerald’s voice. She opened the door and let Twilight inside. “I just don’t see how a school like CHS can exist. It doesn’t make sense! Everyone we saw today was so happy, it was like they’d never had a fight in their lives! And as for that Gemini chick…” She shakes her head. “I don’t know what to make of her. There’s no way she can be that nice. She’s probably hiding something.”

"Why do you think that?" Twilight asked, sitting down beside Emerald on the bed.

"Because she's rich, Sparks," Emerald shot back. "At Crystal Prep, if you were rich, and almost everyone was, it meant you had an agenda. Everybody was climbing up on top of everybody else to get to the top of the pyramid. And they always looked down on anyone who wasn't just like them, like you and me."

"But my family's rich," Twilight pointed out. "How come that doesn't bother you?"

"Because you're you," Emerald replied. "You don't wear it on your sleeve. But that Gemini girl? All I had to do was look at her and I knew she probably has more money at home than either of us, combined."

Twilight took this all in and eventually frowned. "I don't think it's a person's personal wealth that bothers you," she began. "I think it's how they display it. All our old classmates, they had the fanciest cars on the market and were always having parties at their huge mansions... but what from what I've seen of Gemini, she doesn't seem like that kind of girl at all."

"Talk to her then," Emerald said. "Find out who she is. Then come and find me."

"GIRLS! DINNER'S READY!" Twilight Velvet called out from downstairs. 

"Coming Mom!" Twilight shouted back, and the two girls headed out of Emerald's room and down the stairs to dinner.

* * *

The following day, Vinyl and Twilight put their respective plans into action. Vinyl entered the cafeteria and approached Emerald from behind, tapping her gently on the shoulder. “Hey, you’re Emerald Wave, right?” she asked.

Emerald turned around in surprise and blinked. “Yeah, what about it?”

Vinyl smiled and offered Emerald her hand. “The name’s Vinyl Scratch. Mind if we talk a bit?”

Emerald took the hand and shook it cautiously, looking Vinyl up and down. The DJ had pale cream skin, duo-toned blue hair, and wore a white track jacket with blue trim, a white skirt, and dark magenta leggings with lightning bolts on them. Finally, she nodded. “Yeah, okay. What do you want to know?”

“What brought you to CHS?” Vinyl asked. “You transferred from Crystal Prep, right?”

Emerald nodded. “I only came ‘cause my girlfriend was going too. I mean, it’s probably just as well. The way the Friendship Games ended, ol’ Cinch probably would've run us out of the building.”

“Was that the only reason?” Vinyl asked.

Emerald shook her head. “No, I guess not… Crystal Prep sucked. Everyone there thought that because they had lots of money, that meant they could afford to be assholes too. Twi and I got more than our fair share of abuse at their hands. So thanks to them, as far as I’m concerned, the more money you have, the more of a jerk you probably are.”

“I dunno,” Vinyl began. “There are some rich kids who aren’t bad. My girlfriend Tavi, for example. Grey skin, black hair, plays the cello a lot?”

Emerald nodded. “I saw her yesterday during that rainbow club meeting… she’s your _girlfriend_?” She looked amazed. “How?!”

Vinyl smiled. “It’s a funny story…” And she began to tell the story of how she and Octavia had met, during the battle with the Sirens, and even discussed how both of them had played a role in saving the world from falling under the sirens’ spell. 

“No way,” Emerald said, when the story was over. “She-demons from Hell, evil sirens, my girlfriend turning into some kinda magic-wielding monster… this school does some insane things to people.”

Vinyl nodded. “Yeah, but I think that’s part of its charm. You don’t like it here very much, then?”

Emerald shrugged noncommittally. “I dunno. I think I want to, but there’s just something about this place I don’t get, even more than the magic thing.” She pointed a pale yellow finger at a certain brown haired, grey-skinned girl in a blue sweater sitting on the other side of the room, talking to Emerald’s girlfriend.

Vinyl followed Emerald’s gaze and nodded. “Yeah, Tavi mentioned you had a loud disagreement with Gem the other day. She said you called her a fake.”

Emerald nodded. “Hey, you would too if you grew up the way I have, being the only middle class kid at a school full of rich kids. Nobody with as much money as that girl has can be as good-hearted as she claims. I just don’t believe it.”

“You think so?” Vinyl said, and gestured vaguely in a circle with her fingers. “Look at the girls sitting around her. The one with the bacon hair used to be the undisputed queen of the school until she got a literal rainbow to the face. The three sitting near her were the sirens who not only divided and conquered this place, they even managed to separate Gem from her girlfriend, _twice_! I helped ‘em out the first time, and I would have done the second time too, if I wasn’t caught up in stuff here.”

“What does any of that mean?” Emerald asked, crossing her arms. “I’m from Missouri. And where I come from, we don’t take shit at face value. You’ve got to show me why she’s not just the next Alpha Bitch in the making.”

Vinyl smiled, and took Emerald’s hand. “No better place to do it than with the girl herself,” she said, and led Emerald across the cafeteria to Gem’s table.

* * *

"I just don't understand it! How could she react like that? It makes no sense! Did we not risk our lives to save reality from collapsing in on itself during the Games?” Gemini Shadow asked, her voice betraying her bewilderment, with a slight undercurrent of anger. She was seated among the other five girls who had become her best friends since she’d arrived at CHS two years before: Raven Sable, a rough and tumble magician from Manehattan who was every bit as street smart as Gem was book smart, Sunset Shimmer, a former unicorn and the foremost magic expert, and Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze, and Sonata Dusk, three formerly immortal sirens who were adjusting to their new lives as mortal humans.

Adagio placed her hand on top of Gem’s and spoke softly. “Calm yourself, dear girl. Remember, not everyone is as in tune with magic as we are.”

“What difference does that make?” Gem asked, not soothed by this in the least. “She should be grateful for what we did! We could have died!”

“And no one is denying that,” Sunset said quickly, while the other four girls exchanged a look. Gem had never acted like this before. “But Adagio’s right: not everyone is as used to magic as Canterlot High is, and even then, it took a few months for them to get used to the idea. Crystal Prep is right where CHS was after the Fall Formal.”

Gem’s reply was interrupted by the soft clearing of a throat. Twilight Sparkle, her glasses on and her old Crystal Prep uniform still in place, had suddenly approached their table. “Excuse me,” she began, “but do you girls mind if I joined you?”

Gem jumped, before putting on a warm smile and doing her best to look warm and friendly. “I don’t see why not,” she said, and she patted an empty space next to Sunset. “What brings you to our table, Twilight?”

Twilight sat down and adjusted her glasses. “I… wanted to talk to you,’ she began. “It’s about my girlfriend, Emerald…”

“We were just discussing her, actually,” Gem said. “Please continue.”

Twilight swallowed and went on: “You have to understand, she’s had a pretty terrible childhood… and our old school wasn’t really nice to her either. So she tends to get defensive really quickly, to protect herself… but she’s not all bad. She can be really sweet and loving when you get to know her.”

“And I’m sure she is,” Gem replied. “But I’ll have to find out for myself, if she’s willing to let me in.”

“Then you’re in luck,” Raven interrupted, and pointed. “She’s coming this way right now!”

Sure enough, Emerald was approaching their table, with Vinyl walking alongside. She spotted Gem and put her hands on her hips, frowning again. “Well well, look at what we got here, the new Queen of the Wondercolts, holding court with her friends and admirers,” she spat. “Should I bow?”

“Cool it, missy!” Raven exclaimed, standing up quickly and bunching her hands into fists. “Or I’ll do it for ya!”

“That’s enough, Raven,” Gem said, getting to her feet. Her voice was calm. “It’s clear she has some issues to work out.”

“You’re damn right I do,” Emerald replied. “When I look at you, all I see is some high-class noble girl lording it over the common folk. Everything about you screams ‘rich.’ The way you carry yourself, the clothes, your voice… I spent a year and a half putting up with people like you, and quite frankly, your kind make me sick!” The cafeteria goes quiet as every head, from the students to the staff, watch the unfolding display.

“And I’m sorry you feel that way,” Gem replied. “I know I’m wealthy. I make it a point not to flaunt it… I would give up every penny of my family’s fortune if I knew it would go to a good cause. Those students at your old school… I could tell as soon as I saw them they were all new money, and spoiled rotten to boot. My father raised me well, instilling in me from a young age the need to help anyone who couldn’t help themselves, regardless of their income.”

“Prove it,” Emerald challenged. “Since you like to talk so much, tell me something no other rich kid in the whole city would say.”

Gem nodded. “As you wish.” Then she leaned in, and whispered two words into Emerald’s ear.

Emerald stepped back, completely thrown. “…What?! No way… you can’t be! You just _can’t_ be! You’re rich! That sort of thing just doesn’t happen with rich people!”

“It does,” Gem said, and she smiled slightly. “The evidence is standing right before you, in the flesh. You asked me to tell you something no one else would, and I did.”

“But why that?” Emerald asked.

Gem smiled, and took Emerald’s hand in hers. “Because only another girl like me would react the way you did.”

Emerald’s mouth fell open. “Okay, that’s crazy. That’s completely crazy. You could’ve been wrong! I could've been cis for all you know!”

Gem nodded. “Yes, you could have been, but you aren’t. I know what to look for, because I see it every day, when I look in the mirror.” She smiled again. “No one here will harm you, Emerald Wave. And should anyone try, you have my solemn promise that you will be protected.”

There was a very long pause. Finally, Emerald smiled. “Yeah, okay. I believe you. Any girl with the balls to try a stunt like that and have it work has gotta be pretty special.” Gem laughed, and Emerald took a seat beside Twilight, laughing too.

“What are you girls doing this weekend?” Gem asked, once the laughter died down.

Twilight thought for a moment. “I don’t think we have anything planned, why?” 

“Well, Sonata bugged Longhaul earlier this afternoon, and he agreed to host dinner at his house on Saturday,” Gem explained. “Want to come along?” 

Emerald smiled. “I think that’s a great idea, Gem. We’ll be there!”

Gem nodded. "Excellent! I'll see you two then!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> C: A story in which Twilight and Emerald, but mostly Twilight, adjust to being students at CHS instead of Crystal Prep. They’re still very much outsiders in the group for a while, I don’t think they really begin to fit in until the several chapters, starting with “The Assistant.”
> 
> L: There’s a “stranger in a strange land” undertone as Twilight attempt to get over her culture shock, and guilt over what she did during the Games. It also leads in nicely to Dinner at Longhaul’s. We’re not perfect but we do try to link as much of this together as we can.


	4. The Sleepover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gem holds a sleepover at Shadowfall for her new friends.

Following the tumultuous events of the Friendship Games, Gem and her friends took Twilight and Emerald to the cafe. "And this is our regular after-school hangout spot," Gem says, as they head to their usual booth. "I think we could all use a break after the madness of the last few days, right girls?"

Everyone nods assent, and they go off to get snacks.

Emerald smiles at Twilight and holds her hand. "I'm glad you're you again, Twi. I was afraid I lost you."

“I was more afraid of where I was gonna find oats for you,” Twilight teased. She hugged Emerald. “I'm so glad you're okay.”

“Okay, save the mushy stuff for later on,” Adagio said with a smirk. “Allow us to introduce you to the best cinnamon rolls in this city.”

Twilight was skeptical. “Really? You know, the ones on our side of--” she paused as a piece of cinnamon roll was shoved into her mouth. She made happy eating noises. “Oh those are divine! I take it back, these truly are the best.”

“Longhaul makes some pretty decent food, too,” Sonata said, swallowing her bite. “We should ask him if we can come to dinner some day, I miss his cooking.”

Suddenly, the doors to the cafe burst open and in walked Twilight. “Sunset! I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner! I didn't get your messages until now because I was caught in this time travel loop and , honestly, it was the strangest thing that ever happened to me!” She stopped, and stared at her glasses- wearing twin, as silence reigned over the table. After a beat, she said, “Okay ... make that the second strangest.”

There was a very long pause as the nine girls considered what had just happened. This was not helped by the other patrons collectively ending their conversations and turning to watch the goings-on. Ditzy Doo, who was sitting nearby, dropped her muffin in abject shock. The room was then filled with soft muttering as the other customers wondered how there could possibly be two Twilight Sparkles.

Twilight, that is the non-princess version, pushed her glasses up her nose and got to her feet. "Who are you? I mean, you're me, but I'm me too. How can there be two me's? It's not scientifically possible. You are not scientifically possible!" She poked her Equestrian counterpart in the ribs.

"Uh, girls?" asked Princess Twilight. "A little help here?!"

Gem smiled. "Certainly, Princess." She turned back to their Twilight. "The Princess here comes from a world called Equestria, home to magical talking ponies. Sunset and the Dazzlings are from there too, and it was that world you saw when you opened those gaping holes in reality earlier today."

Princess Twilight frowned now, looking angry. "So that was you!" she exclaimed, poking her human counterpart in the ribs too, "You're the one who frightened half of Ponyville! My friend Rainbow Dash had to stop putting together today's rainstorm to save the humans falling into Equestria!"

"I didn't mean to," the other Twilight said, raising her hands defensively. "And to be honest, I wasn't exactly myself at the time."

"She certainly wasn't," said Adagio. "She turned into a raging she-demon, no offense, and was about to go to Equestria herself when my sisters and I stopped her."

Sunset and Twilight sighed and said in unison, "None taken."

"Nevertheless," Princess Twilight continued, "That still doesn't excuse you from-" she was interrupted by a pale yellow hand placing itself over her mouth. 

Emerald frowned at the Princess and said, "Save it, okay? We've all been through a crazy few days, and the last thing Sparks needs is a dressing-down by somebody she's only just met." She removed her hand.

Princess Twilight looked sheepish. “I’m sorry," she said to her other self. “I kind of got carried away, I guess… meeting despicable villains all the time does that to a pony. I mean, person.”

Twilight giggled and smiled. “It’s okay, I forgive you.” The two hugged, and everyone d’awwwed.

“How long will you be here, Twilight?” Sunset asked, looking to the princess.

Princess Twilight shrugged. “Not very long. Actually, I should probably be getting back… I took in an apprentice earlier today and she kind of needs my help settling in.”

“We understand,” Sunset replied, smiling. “See you later, Twilight.”

“Bye girls,” the princess said with a smile. “See you later!” Then she turned and ran off as suddenly as she had arrived, leaving the rest to finish their snacks.

* * *

The next day meant that Twilight and Emerald had to go back to Crystal Prep to pick up some leftover items, since their transfer to CHS was so sudden. So after school got out at CHS, the two boarded the city bus and took it across town to their old school. 

Emerald looked around. The school parking lot was, from the looks of things, completely empty. “So far so good,” she said. “Let’s hope it stays like this.” They went inside and began packing things up, starting with Twilight’s lab, then each of their lockers.

As they packed their things into their backpacks and some boxes, there came the sound of giggles. The two turned around to find Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkamena, and Fluttershy standing around and smirking.

“Giving up on your new school already, are you?” Rarity asked, looking between the two. “Did you miss us that much?”

“I missed you like a victim misses their bully,” Emerald spat. “Which is to say, not at all. Leave us alone, will ya?”

 As Emerald spoke, Twilight’s phone buzzed, she’d gotten a text message. She quickly quickly checked the screen: “Do you know how to do the math homework? Want to come over and do it together?” It was a text from Sunset.

Before she could reply, Rainbow Dash snatched the phone from her hand and said “Ha! So they already know you’re an egghead!” 

“Allow me to reply to that for you,” Fluttershy said, taking the phone. 

Emerald grabbed Fluttershy’s arm and snatched the phone from the other girl’s fingers, “How about you five just go back to whatever hole you crawled out of?”

“Only because we want to help you,” Rarity said, running a white finger down Emerald’s cheek. “After all, it’s a brave new world over there at Canterlot High. You want to make friends, don’t you? Listen to us, we’ll give you all the advice you need.”

“How generous of you,” Emerald said sarcastically, grabbing Twilight’s hand. “Come on Sparks, let’s get out of here.” Twilight nodded, and they left.

“Oh very well,” Rarity called after them. “Don’t come crying to us when those new friends of yours abandon you like yesterday’s news!” 

* * *

That same afternoon, Gem and Raven were at the latter's house, brainstorming ideas on how to help Twilight and Emerald fit in among the group.

"It has proven to be difficult," Gem said, as she paced the floor in the living room. "After all, we usually only see them at school. Twilight is usually busy with her experiments, Emerald is always working on her music, and the distance needed to travel here by bus does tend to add up quickly. It's no wonder they feel so isolated!"

Raven sat on the couch in deep thought. “Yeah, and even at school, the only real time we get to chat is between classes or at lunch. If you're gonna get to know somebody, you’ve gotta spend a lot of time with ‘em. What’s the best way to do that?”

Gem thought. “Well, remember the sleepover we had during the Battle, after Sunset and Vinyl rescued us?”

Raven nodded. “Are you thinking we should do that again?”

Gem smiled. “Exactly! It’s the perfect plan! We’ll get the girls together at my house, have snacks, watch movies, gossip, you know, girl stuff!”

“Give each other makeovers, play dress up with each other’s outfits…” Raven nodded and smiled, “This is gonna be awesome!”

It was settled. Texts went out to each member of the group, inviting them to come over to Gem’s house that Saturday. They were to bring sleeping bags, pajamas, pillows, snacks, and anything else that they thought was necessary.

“I’ve never been to one of these before,” Twilight said, as the city bus took them from her house to Gem’s on the day of the party. “So I bought this book!” She held up a large hardcover book with the title Slumber 101: All You've Ever Wanted to Know About Slumber Parties But Were Afraid to Ask. “If we do everything by the book,” she gushed, “it’ll make our slumber party officially fun!”

Emerald blinked. “Uh, Sparks? I don’t think that’s how fun works.”

“Oh relax,” Twilight said. “It’ll be just like this! Gem’s a smart girl, she’ll probably have this book too!”

* * *

The girls were greeted at the front door by Cassius Winters, Gem's assistant. "Welcome to Shadowfall," he said with a smile, looking at Twilight and Emerald. “Lady Gem is getting the finishing touches ready, and the rest of her friends should be here in a few minutes. Please, come in!"

As the two walked inside, Emerald whistled, impressed. "I didn't think she was this loaded," she said. The room was nearly all white, with marble floors and a huge staircase. 

Cassius chuckled. "You should see the house she grew up in... I don't know exactly how much she has, but I think the family has enough to be millionaires several times over." 

He led them into the main sitting room just in time for Gem to come walking down the grand staircase, resplendent in her usual silk pajamas with slippers. “Emerald! Twilight! How good to see you!” she gushed, running over and hugging each girl tight. 

“It’s good to see you too, Gemini,” Twilight said, smiling and hugging back. “We’ve never had a sleepover before, it’s our first time!”

“Then you’re in for quite a day!” Gem promises. “Believe me, it’ll be fun!”

* * *

Once the rest of the girls arrived, Gem brought out her makeup kit. "I was browsing fun sleepover games on the web last night," she explained, "And found a version of Spin the Bottle, where instead of spinning soda or alcohol, you spin nail polish!"

"Interesting," Adagio says with a smile, inspecting her nails idly. "How do you play?"

“When it’s your turn, you pick a nail polish color and spin it in a circle on the floor. When it stops spinning, it will be pointing toward someone—and that person gets one nail painted that color. We don’t stop until everyone’s nails are done," Gem explains. 

"Then let's play!" Raven says happily. "Gem, this is your house! You go first!"

Gem nodded and selected her favorite shade, a nice dark blue, placed it on the ground, then spun it. It went around and around in circles as each girl waited tensely to see who would get it. After a few tense moments, the bottle finally stopped, with the black lid pointing right at Twilight.

Twilight giggled and clapped her hands. “It matches my hair!” she says, unscrewing the cap and beginning to apply the polish. When she was done, she picked a color and spun the bottle, as Gem had done. They went around like this until each girl had had their nails polished. Raven had bright pink, Adagio had white, Sunset had emerald green, Emerald herself had orange, Gem had black, Sonata had purple, and Aria had pale blue.

Once the polish had dried, Gem’s stomach rumbled. “I suppose we should get something to eat, shouldn’t we?” she said, giggling slightly.

Raven nodded in agreement, “I’m so hungry, I could eat a-” she paused, looking at Sunset. “Um… well, a horse. No offense.”

“None taken,” Sunset laughed. “I’m more or less a human these days, anyway.”

With Cassius’s help, the girls set up a buffet table of sorts in the dining room, filled with a variety of snacks and drinks, then they gathered in Gem’s movie room for some entertainment.

“What shall we watch, girls?” Gem asked, looking through her Netflix queue. 

“How about that movie with the goat humans at the high school?” Raven suggested.

Sunset shook her head, “Nah, it sounds too much like our lives.”

“How about Star Trek?” Twilight suggested. “I love that show!” There were murmurs of agreement among the group. 

“Original series, Next Generation, Voyager, Deep Space 9, Enterprise, Discovery, or New Endeavours?” asked Twilight.

“New Endeavours is my fave,” Raven said, as everyone else made noises of agreement.

“New Endeavours it is then,” Gem said with a smile, and clicked on an episode. The lights dimmed, and the girls plunged into their snacks as the scene opened on a large spaceship drifting through the stars. A female voice intoned: _“Captain's log, stardate 80584.5: While enroute to Starbase 207 for relief following our encounter with the anomaly that sent us backwards in time, The Endeavor has encountered a starship drifting in space. We are moving in to investigate.”_

* * *

Twilight couldn’t sleep. Even though she was cuddling with Emerald, she simply could not fall asleep, though she had tried. She had tried counting sheep, solving complex math formulas, even reciting from memory the A section of the unabridged dictionary she had at home, and nothing seemed to work. Sighing, she got to her feet and stepped carefully over the sleeping forms of the other three girls in the room, her bare feet made no noise on the carpet.

Stealing downstairs as stealthily as she could, she went to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of milk, then sat down in the sitting room, looking out at the night sky. The moon shone clear and bright, surrounded by the stars she’d known since she was a little girl.

Then the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as Sunset Shimmer came down after her. “Couldn’t sleep?” she asked, smiling gently.

Twilight turned and shook her head. “Nope… ironic for a sleepover, isn’t it?”

“Not really,” Sunset replied. “The last time I slept over at Gem’s, the two of us talked about what being human actually meant while Raven sawed logs.”

“I keep forgetting you weren’t born here,” Twilight said, patting the chair beside her. “I would never have guessed that you were originally a pony.”

Sunset sat down and chuckled. “I’ve had a lot of time to get used to life here, not to mention this body… I guess that means I’ve gone fully native.” She shook her head. “Anyway, enough about me. What’s keeping you up?” 

“Fitting in, if you can believe it,” Twilight said, sipping her milk. “Back at Crystal Prep, Emmy and I kept to ourselves… the rest of the school hated us as you know, so there wasn’t much need for that kind of thing. Now that we’re here though, it’s totally different.” She smiles a little. “Not that I’d change it or anything. I’m just…” she sighed. “I’m afraid you’re going to leave me behind. You six have had years to get to know each other, but Emmy and I have only had a few days. How are we supposed to measure up?"

"You gotta remember," Sunset began, "that we didn't start out as friends. I was a cruel, ambitious witch who wanted to rule Equestria for herself and damn the consequences. Gem would've had every right to abandon me after she, Raven, and the other Twilight purified me. It took Longhaul's insistence for me to talk to her after that, and she stuck with me because she could see I wasn't totally evil, just misguided. It was the same with the Dazzlings when they came around. We all had reputations to rebuild, and she made sure we did." She smiled a little. "I'm kind of jealous of you right now. The kids at school already love you and Emmy. Not even Gem has had an easy ride, so trust me when I say that out of the eight of us, you're also the luckiest."

"I feel like I don't deserve that luck," Twilight said at last. "I nearly destroyed the world, remember?"

"So what?" Sunset replied. "You're not alone in that. And I think that if Gem were awake, she'd say you deserve all the happiness in the world. That girl doesn't just believe in friendship, she believes in the power of positivity. She believes in the power of second chances. Trust me, you deserve a second chance." She places a hand on Twilight's knee. "Feeling better?"

Twilight smiled. "A little. I think I might be able to-" she yawned hugely, "sleep now... See you in the morning, Sunset."

"Goodnight, Twilight," Sunset said, and the two girls walked quietly up the stairs to their respective rooms.

* * *

The following morning dawned bright and sunny. Cassius was already downstairs, making pancakes for the eight friends. There were four different kinds: regular, chocolate chip, blueberry, and red velvet. Relaxing jazz music played on the stereo, and the air was filled with the smell of cooking food. Cassius smiled to himself as he set the table, placing two serving dishes with two types of pancakes each in the middle, along with a selection of syrups, berries, and powdered sugar. Then he put down plates, knives, and forks, with glasses for drinks, and some milk and orange juice cartons. Finally, he went into the main foyer and shouted "Girls? Breakfast is ready!"

The eight girls trooped down the steps with various types of bed hair, looking like they'd just woken up. "Morning girls," said Cassius. "How'd you sleep?"

"Like a log," Gem replied, smiling as she took her seat at the table.

"Like the dead," Raven said, as the other girls responded with similar phrases.

"Help yourself to whatever kind of pancake you want," Cassius said, joining them. "I made enough for everyone to have seconds!"

The girls nodded collectively and prepared their pancakes to their liking, and the room was quiet except for the sounds of music, clinking silverware, and happy eating noises from everyone.

"I don't think you can put this in a taco," Sonata said after a while. "The syrup would make it too sticky!"

"Got any big plans for today?" Cassius asked.

Gem nodded, “I believe we discussed coming together at the cafe to do homework."

"We did," Adagio agreed. "You promised Sunset that you'd help with her English essay.”

Gem smiled. “Ah yes, compare Julius Caesar to the current political climate… shall we get started after this?”

Sunset nodded. “Sounds good to me.” The group finished their breakfasts, dressed, then headed off to the cafe as expected.

* * *

Heading home that night, Twilight smiled to Emerald. “That sleepover didn’t quite go the way I imagined, but you know what? That’s not at all a bad thing.”

“I don’t think so,” Emerald agreed, eyeing her nails and smiling. “I was just thinking… I’m glad we came to CHS. Sticking around with those girls from our old school would’ve sucked.”

“Definitely,” Twilight confirmed. “You know they kept texting me to ask if I’d been abandoned yet? They finally stopped when I told them that I didn’t need their help.”

Emerald smiled at that. “Awesome to hear, Sparks. You’re finally learning to stick up for yourself!” The bus pulled up to Emerald’s stop, and she rose. “See you tomorrow,” she said, kissing her girlfriend on the cheek.

“See you tomorrow,” Twilight replied, kissing back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> C: I have only had one sleepover in my entire life, and it wasn’t at all like this. But that’s why Emerald is there, to serve as an even more direct avatar of me than Gem.
> 
> L: Our re-doing of the ending scene in the Friendship Games movie, and a continuation of that scene. I like doing those “what happened afterward” scenes, I think it adds to the original story and fills in gaps that otherwise might leave one wondering about. And yes, we made the original Mane 6 the villains at Crystal Prep. I regret nothing.


	5. Dinner at Longhaul's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Longhaul holds a dinner at his house.

It wasn't often that Longhaul used his fancy dining room table, preferring to eat in the kitchen. Even when he had company, the meal took place at the small table in the kitchen, mainly because it was cozier, and mainly because it was convenient for the food being prepared. Today, however, the sheer amount of guests necessitated the use of the formal setting in the dining room. 

Siting in the center of the round, oak table was a fondue pot, the electric cord taped down to the surface and plugged in to an extension cord that went to a nearby outlet. Inside the pot, a special mixture of cheeses and wine bubbled gently, stirred every so often by Longhaul. He had another batch in reserve, just in case everyone was hungrier than they originally thought. A bowl of cubed bread, cut from a loaf of ciabatta with whole garlic cloves, sat to one side. On the other side was a tray of fresh vegetables, ready for dunking into the cheesy mixture. Small plates sat in front of nine chairs, and each place had one fondue fork, except for Longhaul's who had to appropriate one of his special seafood forks for fondue duty. 

As Longhaul put the finishing touches on everything, he thought back to the day Sonata had asked him if he would be open to hosting a dinner for the girls, including Twilight and Emerald, who had just transferred over from Crystal Prep two weeks ago. His mind flashed back to that day. 

* * *

“Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease,” Sonata begged, kneeling in front of Longhaul, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. “You're the best cook I know, because you cook things that aren't tacos that I really enjoy, and it would mean soooooooooooooooooooooooo much to do this for Twi and Emmy and we never really get to see you outside of school anymore, oh pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease won't you do this for me, please please pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaase?” Longhaul could only stand there, as the other students at Canterlot High walked by and gave strange looks to the scene playing out before them, and cast a glance over at Aria, who was trying valiantly to not burst out laughing, and at Adagio, who had a look of 'don't look at me, this was her idea.' 

Longhaul rolled his eyes and helped Sonata to her feet. “All right, all right ... I'll do it, Sunday afternoon at five sharp. We'll have a fondue party, nice and simple, everyone picks what they want. Okay?” 

He suddenly remembered how good it was to have air flowing to his lungs as he was wrapped in a bear hug by Sonata. “Oh, thankyouthankyouthankyouTHANKYOU! This means so much to me, and it will be sooooo nice for Twi and Emmy!” Aria was now rolling on the sidewalk laughing hysterically, and even Adagio had succumbed to a fit of giggles at Sonata's display of affection. She broke the hug, allowing Longhaul to get a good gasp of fresh air, before kissing his cheek. “I'll let everyone know! Well, except for those two because they already heard it, but I'll tell the rest of the group,and Twi and Emmy too! Thank you again, Longhaul, you're the best!” She skipped off, followed by a still-laughing Aria and Adagio. 

“The things I get myself into,' Longhaul said to himself. 

* * *

The doorbell rang, and Longhaul opened the door to see the whole group standing there. “Ah, welcome to Chez Longhaul,” he said with a phony accent, “ I will be your maitre-d', executive chef, waiter, and chief dishwasher.” He saw Twilight and Emerald standing there, looking a bit nervous. “Is this your first time dining with us, madames?” he said to the pair, which garnered a few giggles from Twilight. 

“Dinner smells wonderful, Longhaul,” Gem said with a smile. 

“Yeah, I'm getting hungrier just smelling it,” Raven added. “Is it almost done?” 

“It's quite done, and just waiting for you.” He stepped aside and gestured toward the dining room table. The Dazzlings oohed. “We've never seen him use the fancy dining table the whole time we were here,” Adagio whispered to the others, “this must be special.” 

Overhearing, Longhaul shrugged. “Actually, it was the only place I could fit everyone. The oddball chair is mine; other than that, please take as eat and we'll begin.” 

The eight took their seats, and after pouring everyone's selection of soft drink, Longhaul joined them. “No formality here,” he addressed the group, “grab your fork, spear a veggie or some bread, dunk in the cheese, enjoy, repeat. Dig in.” 

Everyone did so, and all were in agreement that this was indeed a wonderful fondue. Spearing another piece of bread, Sonata said, “Longhaul, this is the first time I've ever tried something like this, and I absolutely love it!” 

Aria rolled her eyes. “Here it comes...” 

“I think you should put this in a taco!” Sonata chirped, with Aria snarkily mimicking her. Sonata responded by giving Aria a glare and a sharp poke, which led to Aria retaliating in kind. Soon, a full poke war broke out, stopped only by two well-aimed tiny broccoli florets and a stern glare from Longhaul. The two stopped their actions and sheepishly returned to their dinner. Adagio simply suppressed a chuckle and resumed eating. 

“Is ... is this a common occurrence at events like this?” Twilight asked Longhaul. 

“Can't really say, as this is the first event like this I've hosted. I suspect it's more a case of sisterly lurrrrrve, right Aria?” Longhaul replied, fixing Aria with a goo-goo-eyed stare. Aria simply stuck her tongue out at Longhaul, who laughed, along with Gem, Raven, and Sunset. 

“Although ... actually, Sonata, a taco fondue could be quite tasty. Using soft tortillas and the right cheese ... tell you what,” Longhaul said, “the day I decide to try making them I will let you know, and you can be my official taster.” Sonata squee'd with delight and began doing a victory dance in her chair. 

Adagio sighed. “You realize what you've just done, don't you?” she asked. 

“Why, yes, I know exactly what I've done. Think of it as my revenge for the poke fight. You're welcome.” He popped a cube of cheese-covered bread into his mouth and smirked. 

“Well, all I can say is, you'd better plan it soon or I'll send her back here to live with you for the duration,” Adagio said silkily, a large grin across her face. Longhaul blanched a bit, remembering the hyperactive siren's behavior on her first taco night at Longhaul's. 

“Okay, okay ... soon, I promise. Anyway, back to dinner,” Longhaul said, spearing a baby carrot and dunking it in the pot. 

* * *

After consuming a good amount of the dinner offerings, it was decided to sit in the living room and chat while they allowed their delicious meal, which earned high praise from everyone, to digest a bit before dessert was served. The group settled in, moving chairs closer and picking their seats. The Dazzlings occupied the large sofa, Gem and Raven taking the smaller love seat, with Twilight, emerald, and Sunset using the padded chairs. Longhaul rested in his overstuffed recliner. 

“First, thank you all for coming, and I'm really glad you enjoyed dinner tonight,” Longhaul said, “and I would like to formally welcome Twilight and Emerald to our little 'family.'” Twi and Em looked a little embarrassed, their cheeks pinkening, as everyone smiled and applauded. “As you may have guessed, we welcome newcomers by feeding them food I've cooked, and if they don't die, then they're in,” he joked. Sonata leaned over and gave him a playful poke in the arm. 

Looking over at Twi and Em, Longhaul asked, “So, the obvious question for our guests of honor ... how are you enjoying your time at dear ol' Canterlot High?” 

“it's a lot ... different,” Twilight replied, “but in a good way. At Crystal Prep, everything that was done was 'done for the common good of the school,' or 'to show just what Crystal Prep was well-known for.'” She sighed. “No one really did anything just because they wanted to do it, or because they enjoyed doing it. It always had to have a purpose, and that's why I had to keep my research hidden. Anyone caught 'wasting their time on frivolous pursuits' was given extra work to do, presumably because the staff felt they weren't busy enough.” 

“The students here are much friendlier, too, always saying hello and being nice to each other. I can also say that the bus drivers are nicer than the one we had,” Emerald added. “I used to dread riding in with old man Angus every day.” 

“Wait ... Angus Mustang?” Longhaul asked, surprised. Emerald nodded, and Longhaul began to laugh. “Oh my goodness, that roughneck's still driving Prep's bus? I remember him, he used to come in the diner and brag about that high-falutin' luxury coach he drove for Prep, while mocking us for our little yellow buses. I hadn't seen him in a while, I thought he'd been fired or moved to greener pastures.'” 

“Principal Cinch seemed genuinely afraid of him,” Twilight remarked, “and as most of you know, she's not the easiest person to intimidate.” 

“He's probably got some good dirt on her, then,” Longhaul mused. “Probably the only way he's keeping that job.” 

“Yeah, and I'm glad to be away from it,” Emerald continued. “Granted, there have been a few students that harass me here, but at least when I report it, something's done about it fairly quickly. It's not as bad as it was over there.” 

“Thank goodness for that,” Twilight said, smooching Emerald on the cheek to a collective “awww” from the group. 

“I worry sometimes, though,” Twilight continued, “and it's probably silly, but I always have this thought in the back of my head that I'll never truly be a part of CHS. I feel like I'll always be known as 'that girl from Crystal Prep.' I don't know how best to put it...” 

“You feel like an outsider?” Adagio asked. 

Twilight nodded. “Yeah, I guess that's the best way to describe it. I just can't find a place to fit in.” She paused. “Okay, I really didn't fit in with Crystal Prep either, but I was hoping this would be different. I'm really making an effort, and it doesn't seem to be working.” 

“Well, if nothing else,” Raven quipped, “you could always join the 'magical she-demons bent on world domination' group. No offense meant to anyone, of course.” 

“None taken,” Sunset and the Dazzlings said with a chuckle. 

“I do understand what you mean,” Sunset said, “and for myself and the Dazzlings here, we truly are outsiders. You came from another school, we came from a whole different world. I know I'm still trying to find my place here, and so are Dagi, Sonata, and Aria. At least know you're not alone in that feeling.” 

“It was tough for all of us,” Sonata added, “especially me. I guess I tried a little too hard to get accepted and really got hurt because of it. It was just really important to me at the time.” 

“So, how did you get through it?” Emerald asked.

“I talked to Longhaul and he gave me some great advice,” Sonata said, smiling at him. Twilight and Emerald turned to Longhaul. “So, what's your advice?” Twilight asked. 

He sat up straighter and looked out over all of the expectant eyes staring at him. “I've probably said it to everyone else in this room at least once, but the best thing you can do? Do nothing out of the ordinary. Just be you, and let others see you as you are. There really is nothing wrong with being an outsider.” 

Emerald nodded. “I suppose that's true, but I don't understand why so many others gather in groups if it's better to be an individual.” 

“Groups only exist because several individuals share a common interest, and choose to share it among themselves, excluding those that don't share that interest, or don't share it strongly enough in their perception,” Longhaul explained. “Look at the different groups you see at school: you have the fashionistas, the scholars, the sci-fi fans, the computer enthusiasts, the musicians, the jocks, the writers ... they group together to share their interest, and in doing so they validate each other and themselves. Now, here comes someone that might want to participate in that group. They're an unknown quantity, and as such will most likely be vetted out first, and if deemed worthy, they'll be accepted. Even better if they have an 'in,' who can vouch for their credentials.” 

“Crystal Prep was very much like that,” Twilight said sadly. “So, I kept to myself for the most part.” 

“And yet,” Longhaul said, “all of you are a group. You're more of an all-inclusive group, though, and I'm sure you'd be very welcoming to anyone that wanted to join with you, am I right?” 

All eight looked t each other and nodded. “Yes, I believe we would,” Gem said, “after all, we all know the sting of rejection by our peers.” 

“One good thing about being an outsider, from my view, is that while you may not fit in with one particular group, you would be able to gain friends from a broad spectrum of interests, some of which you may have an interest ion yourself.” Longhaul sat back. “This is why I say, be you and let others see that, and let them accept you on their terms.” 

Twilight and Emerald smiled. “Thank you, Longhaul.” 

Longhaul smiled as well, than asked, “So, since when did I become the all-wise Buddha type around here?” 

“Well,” joked Adagio, “you've got the belly for it.” This drew some good-natured chuckles from the group. 

“I'll have you know,” he replied, patting his tummy, “that this is the result of many years of culinary research, which resulted in the dinner you enjoyed and the dessert yet to come.” He paused for a beat, and continued, “and I don't want any of you trying to rub it for good luck, either.” All eight laughed. 

“Speaking of ample bellies,” Longhaul said as the laughter died down, “who's up for dessert?” The group responded enthusiastically. “Very well, then, I shall return.” He went to the kitchen. 

* * *

One parfait glass of chocolate mousse later, along with coffee and tea, and the group was getting ready to say goodnight. “Thanks for a lovely dinner, Longhaul,” Sonata said, hugging him. “And, thanks for hosting our get-together.” 

“Glad to do it,” he said, returning Sonata's hug. “I'm glad you all enjoyed it.”  
“Oh yes, it was wonderful,” Twilight said happily. “And, thanks for the great advice, I'm sure it will make things easier for me in the long run.”

“I'm happy I could help,” Longhaul replied, still smiling. “I'll see you all tomorrow morning.” 

Handshakes and hugs ensued as the group piled into their vehicles and headed to their respective homes. Longhaul closed the door, and gathered the used dishware, carrying it to the kitchen. After loading the dishwasher, he stopped and gazed at the ceiling. “I wish everyone felt the way those eight do,” he said to himself. “Wonder how much longer I'll be able to stay there before things come to a head.” He started the dishwasher, and snapped the light off, walking back to his chair. He settled in and just stared at the ceiling, letting his thoughts run rampant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> L: The “welcome to the family” episode for Twi and Emmy. And what better place to have it than at ol’ Uncle Longhaul’s place? Another filler episode that I felt needed to be written, just to bridge gaps between the Friendship Games and the continuing adventures of the girls. Also, a bit of foreshadowing regarding our bus-driving friend.


	6. Gem's Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gem's friends plan a surprise party for their friend, while Gem herself goes back to Trottingham and reveals a long-kept secret to her parents.

Gemini’s birthday was coming up, and Raven wanted to make it something special. She had one idea: it would be a complete surprise. And with Gem out of town for the weekend, she had plenty of time to prepare. So on Friday afternoon, once school let out, Raven whipped out her phone and called every number she knew: Sunset, Adagio, Aria, Sonata, Carrie, even Twilight Sparkle and Emerald Wave, and told them all the same thing: “Meet at my house at 4 PM. We’re going to give Gem a party she’ll never forget!”

* * *

" ... so we have until Sunday afternoon to get everything organized," Raven said to the gathering.  "We'll need presents, decorations, food ... "

"Ooh, maybe we can throw a good ol' FIESTA!!" Sonata exclaimed, bouncing excitedly in her seat.  "We could have tacos, and a  piñata, and tacos, and sombreros, and more tacos..."

Aria pffts.  "You're just looking for an excuse to have more tacos.  Dweeb."  She pokes Sonata in her side.

Sonata pokes back.  "Like we NEED an excuse for tacos?  Besides, maybe if you ate more of them you'd be less of a Little Miss Twistybritches all the time!"

"All right, you two, just ... wait, little miss what now?" Adagio said, confused.

"It's something I heard Longhaul say once," Sonata explained.  "He said it in reference to that Crystal Prep principal lady."  She ponders for a moment.  "Y'know, he was right, too."

"So, where are we gonna hold this little get-together?" Adagio asked, trying to steer the conversation back on topic.

Raven hummed, clasping her hands thoughtfully. “I was thinking of that park on the edge of town. We don’t need a big shindig, you know how she gets around crowds. She’ll be perfectly happy with just the five of us.”

"That park would be perfect," Sunset replied.  "And, it's supposed to be a beautiful fall day, too.  And Gem's supposed to be back early afternoon so we'll have plenty of daylight left for the party."

The door swung open and Twilight and Emerald hurried into the room.  "Sorry, I went down the wrong street, I didn't mean to be late.  I'm not used to this part of town, and I really want to be involved in this because it's the first real party I've been invited to and—" 

Carrie wraps an arm around Twilight's shoulder.  "It's cool, Twilight, relax.  We've only just started talking about things anyway.  Come on, have a seat."  The two walk over to a couple of chairs and sit.

"Okay, let's go with the park, and if it threatens rain, we can set up back here at my house.  I'll be fetching her from the train anyhow, so it works out well for me either way.  What should we do for a cake?" Raven asked.

Adagio shrugged. “You know her the best out of all of us. Perhaps something organized around her favorite things for decorations? As for the cake itself… let’s see, Sugarcube Corner is probably your best bet. Does she like chocolate?”

"She loves it, especially dark," Carrie interjected.  "Maybe we could do cupcakes, might be easier to take home later on."

"I'll take a look into that," Raven said, writing something in a notebook.  "Okay, so we go with the park, or my house if it rains, and something chocolate, wither cupcakes or a full cake.  "I like the idea of tacos, but it would be too difficult to carry and set up--"

"Awww," moped Sonata.

"-- so we still need something for food.  Or should we just get snacky things and maybe get pizza later on?"

“Snacks and pizza!” exclaimed Emerald. “Sweet and salty stuff. Pretzels, candy, you know, things like that.” She looks around. “You said she’s from Trottingham, right? Maybe get her some stuff from there, to remind her of home?”

"We could do that, but the pickings around here are slim in that regard.  I don't know how well digestive biscuits smeared with Branston pickle would go over," Carrie said sadly.  "And don't get me started on the Marmite and HP Sauce disaster..."

Raven gave Carrie a look, then turned back to her notebook.  "Snacky things it is, and if we can find some decent Trottingham treats, so be it." She eyes the last item on her checklist.  "Finally ... the present."

“Ooh, that’s a tough one…” says Sunset, frowning slightly. “And I’m not sure we can decide on it right now. Suppose we each go home and sleep on it, and come back tomorrow with ideas?”

"Sounds like a plan to me," Adagio said.  

"That'll definitely be an all-day thing," Carrie warned.  "In all the years I've known Gem, she's never really asked for anything.  Hearthswarming was always a challenge, even though she always appreciated what she was given."

"Okay then.  We'll meet back here tomorrow and see what we can come up with. Thanks, everyone."  Raven rose and walked with everyone to the door.

Emerald looked askance at Twilight as they joined the group. “I really hope we can pull this off, Sparks… we’ve only known her for a few weeks.”

Twilight nodded, but placed a calming hand on her girlfriend’s shoulder. “I’m sure we’ll be fine, Emmy. Don’t worry.”

* * *

Elsewhere, the train from Canterlot to Trottingham was letting off one of its passengers, who turned out to be Gem. Today she wore a blue jacket trimmed with red lining, a white shirt, and black jeans with matching boots. Doing her best to look cheerful, she climbed into a waiting car, which set off at once toward a large, manor house set upon a hill: Coltsworth, the ancestral home of Gem’s family.

The train ride hadn’t been an easy one. She knew that her family, much less the upper class of Trottingham society, wouldn’t even begin to tolerate a girl like her, she had been forced to resume her previous life as best she could, which meant wearing an old suit and a chest binder to hide her breasts. She was in town because her family had “requested,” or more correctly, ordered her presence. They would be opening a new museum, and she was required to make an appearance at the ceremony, as the esteemed son of Sir Azul Brownmane and his wife, the Lady Indigo Blaze. As the main streets of Trottingham dwindled into countryside, Gem felt her spirits drop. If her family found out… she gulped. There would be Tartarus to pay.

* * *

The next day, the group of Emerald's friends gathered at the local burger shop to brainstorm about Emerald's birthday gift.  "You mean, she's never specifically asked for anything?  Not for her birthday, or Hearthswarming, or anything?" Aria asked, stunned.  "You'd think there'd be something she would have truly wanted over all that time."

Carrie shook her head.  "Not a darn thing.  Don't get me wrong, she'll love whatever it is that you get her, it's just that I've never seen her get excited over having something."

"I've always been getting her small things, practical stuff mostly, and she seemed quite okay with that.  I may just do that again," Raven mused.

“But this is her eighteenth birthday,” said Emerald, looking insistent as she munched on her burger. “That time when she passes from girlhood into womanhood. You gotta do something big!” She opens her arms wide.

“That’s just the problem,” Sunset said, chewing thoughtfully on a french fry. “What do you get for the girl who has everything?”

"Does it really have to be big to be special?" Sonata asked. "I think that all that matters is that it means something special to her, no matter what size it is."

"She almost seems embarrassed when we spend money on her," Adagio added.  "She's generous to a fault, but gets really awkward when someone does something for her."

“Well, she does come from nobility,” muses Raven. “Maybe it’s something she was raised with…” She frowns, looking toward Adagio, “I wouldn’t know. I met her parents once, back when we first started dating… her mom’s a total witch with a capital b, if you catch my drift.” She frowns still more. “I really hope we can knock this outta the park, I have the feeling she’ll need the pick-me-up when she comes home.”

Twilight listened closely to everyone as they spoke, and began thinking.  She hadn't known Gem very long, but after a little while, she had a flash of inspiration.  "Say, um ... not to go off-topic here, but would it be okay if Emmy and I were to take pictures tomorrow?"

"Um ... sure, I don't see a problem with that," Raven said, the others nodding in agreement.

"Okay," Twilight said with a smile, and whispered something to Emerald.

Emerald listened closely, then grinned. “Twilight, you beauty! She’ll love it!” She looks to the others. “It’s a surprise! Everyone will find out on Sunday.”

Sunset smiled.  "Looks like they've figured out what they're doing.  Let's get some more party planning done in the meantime."  The group talked animatedly about decorations, snacks, drinks, and the cake.

* * *

In Trottingham, Gem’s carriage came to a stop in front of Coltsworth’s main doors. A servant opened the door for her, collected her luggage, and walked with her inside the house. As they went, she glanced down at her chest. The binder felt uncomfortable, but she didn’t dare show it. A quick check in the mirror showed she didn’t look too different… hopefully that remained the case. Her mother and father were already there, waiting. “Good… afternoon, Mother, Father,” she said at last, trying to go back to her old voice. She hoped she still could, she never used it anymore…

“Ah, there's the lad!" Azul exclaimed happily, as Indigo walked toward Gem.  "I trust the train ride was uneventful?"

"It's so good to see you, Orion darling," Indigo said, kissing Gem's cheek.  "Come, sit down, you must be famished after that long trip."

“Starving,” Gem said honestly, nodding. “The train ride was uneventful, as expected. You can only see so much of the countryside.” A servant came and brought out tea fixings. “So… apart from the museum opening, how are things here?”

"Oh, nothing's really changed here," Azul said, "the only new thing is the museum, to be honest.  Some of your old teaches have been asking after you, to see how you were doing down in Canterlot.  I trust things are well, and that crazy cousin of yours hasn't destroyed the town yet?"

Gem chuckles. “Not yet,” she replies, busying herself with making tea. “The town has had some close calls, just not from her.” It was true enough, between Sunset, the Dazzlings, and Twilight Sparkle all trying to destroy something or other in turn. No offense, girls, she thought. “It’s good to be back.. I’ve missed it here.”

"I, for one, would love to have you back here again, Orion," Indigo said, "heaven only knows what bad influences that town has had upon you.  Worse than that town is that ... girlfriend you had.  You're not still dating that, that ... magician, are you?" she practically spat the word out.

Gem sipped her tea as Indigo spoke, then placed her cup down with a little more force than was strictly necessary. “I am,” she said at last, trying to keep her composure. “We love each other, Mother, as deeply as you and Father love each other. Why can’t you see that?” There was a stunned silence as everyone, including the servants, froze. What an outburst!

"What I am saying," Indigo said icily, "is that I fear living in that town is changing you, and not in a good way.  You're acting different -- you never would have spoken to me like that prior to your departure; your voice sounds strange for some reason, and it  is my firm belief that it's all due to that hooligan you're dating!"

"Indigo, Orion, please ... let's not quarrel, not so soon after not seeing each other for so long.  The museum dedication is in a couple of hours, can we at least try to put up a civil front until it concludes?" Azul said testily.  "I say, it's still nice to have you back home with us, son," he added, softening his tone as he  spoke to Gem.

“It’s good to see you too, Father,” Gem replies, smiling a little. She’d always liked him more, for whatever reason. Inwardly, she was starting to panic. Her voice had risen slightly during her outburst, and now she tried to bring it back down again. “Is everything well at City Hall?”

"Bah," Azul said with a  dismissive wave of his hand. “Politics is what it is, that'll never be different.  Some days I think that I'd like to chuck the whole kerfluffle and retire to private life again.  But, then I realize how much I enjoy being in charge for a change--" he leveled a gaze at Indigo, who sat angrily munching a cucumber sandwich "--and think better of the whole idea."

Gem starts to giggle, then realizes midway through what’s going on and turns it into a cough instead. Finishing her own lunch, she rises. “I’ll return shortly… nature calls…” And with that, she runs toward the bathroom.

Alone at last, Gem pressed against the bathroom door, trying not to cry. She was already starting to slip. Her mother was already starting to suspect something, she knew it was only a matter of time. Gem sighed. She’d just have to do her best. Maybe she’d be lucky and her father and the house staff would side with her rather than Indigo. Managing to compose herself, Gem made her way back toward the dining room, still anxious.

Silence reigned at the table until Indigo  finally spoke.  "Orion, I am sorry .. I did not mean to upset you, but I worry about you.  You are my darling son, after all, and I just feel very protective of you.  I promise, I will do my best to not be too overbearing for the rest of your visit."

Gem phews, “Thank you, Mother… I appreciate it. Apology accepted.” She returns to her own sandwich, feeling a little better.

The hours that followed were some of the dullest Gem had yet experienced. There had been a ribbon cutting ceremony, with photos taken by the local and national press, then a grand tour. Gem normally liked museums, but she wished she had been able to explore this one on her own terms with Raven at her side. At long last, they’d finally come home, and Gem went to her old room to change into something more comfortable.

After making sure the door was locked and the curtains closed, Gem removed her coat and trousers, followed by her shirt. Throwing caution to the wind, the binder followed. Her breasts ached from having them bound like that for so long. Smiling a little, she sighed  happily then slipped on a t-shirt, and opened one of her favorite books. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be disturbed. 

Just as Gem was getting comfortable, a staccato tapping was heard upon the door.  "Orion, it's your mother.  May I speak to you for a moment?"

Gem sighed. She’d made it this far, but she didn’t know how much longer she could keep up the illusion. Thinking quickly, she grabbed some older shirts and slipped those on, then sat on the bed with her knees near her chest. Temporary, but she hoped it would work. “Come in,” she called, trying her old voice again.

The knob turned slowly and Indigo stepped into the room.  "Orion, I know you're leaving tomorrow, and I wanted to--"  She stopped mid-sentence, distracted by a single garment sticking out of Gem's luggage.  Without a word, she walked over and plucked the offending item from the suitcase, holding it away from her body with two fingers. It was one of Gem’s favorite bras, navy blue with white polka dots on each cup.  "What.  On earth.  Are you doing with this?" she said in a measured tone, holding the brassiere in front of Gem's face.  She looked back  into the suitcase and noticed Gem’s makeup case. It was blue, with white swirls painted on it.  Dropping the bra, Indigo picked up the makeup case and opened it.  "And while you're explaining that, perhaps you could tell me who this 'Gemini' person is whose name appears inside a makeup case inside of my very male son's luggage?"  Her veneer was beginning to break down, along with her composure.

“I am Gemini,” she spoke, using her true voice for the first time since leaving Canterlot. “I haven’t been Orion for a long time… and I most certainly haven’t been male.” She grabs the bra, turns to hide her chest from her mother’s view, puts it on, and then turns back around. “I’m a girl. I always have been… it’s just taken me a while to accept it. And now I have.” She takes back her makeup case and starts to apply her makeup with expert precision. “I’ve spent today in physical and mental torment, the kind of torment you can’t really imagine… because I’ve had to hide myself, my true self, from you. But not any longer.” 

She closes the kit and puts it back where it belongs. “This is who I am, Mother… my name is Gemini, and I am your daughter.” She stares into Indigo’s eyes, a green fire blazing within them. On cue, a blue glow surrounds her body and her hair lengthens, giving the appearance of a tail. She also gains pony ears. Her outfit is transformed into a beautiful ball gown.

Indigo is stunned into silence for  what seemed like an eternity, before raising a shaky finger and leveling it at Gem.  "This.  This is what I feared the most about letting you move to Canterlot.  Obviously, some outside influence has corrupted your brain and deluded you into thinking you're something you're obviously not!~  She began to pace around the room.  "Honestly, I knew that whole town was a bad influence, and this only proves my point!  And what is the meaning of this?" she shrieked, indicating Gem's magical form.  "Some kind of trickery from your magician harpy of a girlfriend to drive me completely insane?"  Suddenly, she stops mid-rant, and takes a deep breath.  "Fine.  You will report to the study in five minutes, without changing your appearance, and break the news to your father.  We will speak more then."  She turns and walks out of the room.  As she makes her way away, she calls out, "Azul!  Study!  Now!!"

Gem slams the door shut and grabs her phone, texting a simple message to Raven: “Mother knows. Didn’t take it well. Call me in an hour.” 

* * *

Five minutes later, Gem, in all her half-equine beauty, makes her way toward her father’s study, walking as a lady ought to. She gives the various servants a warm, reassuring smile when she passes them. She’s touched up her makeup, and has even added some nail polish that brings out her eyes. The servants look on, agape. Who was this girl?

Azul can be heard talking to his wife through the door, but goes completely silent as Gem enters.  He stares at her, then starts circling her, as if he cannot truly believe what he is seeing with his own eyes.  His mouth moves, but no sound comes out.  Finally, he goes and gets a small snifter of brandy.  Taking a healthy swallow, he says, "Why ... you ... you look quite beautiful..."

Gem smiles and embraces her father, tears starting to well up. “Oh thank you… thank you… you have no idea how much it means for me to hear you say that!” After a few moments, she straightens up. “Raven and Carrie and everyone have all been so wonderfully receptive… they’ve taught me much.” She makes herself comfortable in a chair and sits, legs crossed. “I’ve never felt happier!”

"This is still a lot to take in ... what, is it Gemini now?" Azul asked quietly.  "I mean, you were my son for a long time, and to see this ... well, there's just a lot of adjusting to do.  I don't know when you came to this realization, but ... well, you will always be my child, no matter what, and i will always love you as my child.  I  just ... I just hope you'll forgive me if I should slip and forget who you really are now from time to time."  He had tears in his eyes as he went to embrace his daughter again.

Gem nods and smiles a little more, wrapping her arms around her father and hugging him tightly. “Of course I will,” she says quietly. “This wasn’t quite how i imagined you finding out, but… you can’t put the cat back in the bag once she’s out of it.” Then her phone buzzes, and she jumps. “Oh! That’ll be Raven… do you mind if I take this?”

"No, go ahead," Azul says, "we'll be here when you're finished."  Azul leads Indigo away so Gem can have some privacy.

"Gem?  Are you okay?  What's going on?" Raven's voice came through the speaker when Gem answered the phone.

Gem begins telling Raven the entire story, and by the end she was practically in tears. “…And then I ponied up, and she was all, "Honestly, I knew that whole town was a bad influence, and this only proves my point!  And what is the meaning of this? Some kind of trickery from your magician harpy of a girlfriend to drive me completely insane?" She takes a deep breath and continues. “So, I don’t think she took it well at all… Father did though. He called me beautiful when he saw me.”

"Well, it's good to know you have an ally in the household," Gem said, sounding relieved.  "And it's nice to know you have a buffer against that dear, wonderful woman you call 'mother.'"  Raven cleared her throat after her small bout with sarcasm.  "So, what happens now?  Are you staying there tonight or coming home?"

“I do not know,” she said with a shrug. “I’ll ask, and text you with updates. I love you, Raven.” She ends the call shortly after, and makes her way out, looking for her parents.

Gem found her parents in the main room.  "Ah, good, you finished your call," Azul said.  Indigo was still strangely silent.  Perhaps we should all sit down for dinner, it is about that time after all."  He led Gem and Indigo into the dining room.

"So, you're back to Canterlot in the morning then?" Azul asked as the three ate dinner.  "Or ... had you planned to leave tonight? You're more than welcome to stay, you are still family after all, and it's your house as well."

"THIS house is ORION'S," Indigo spat.  "People like...  _you_ have no place being in MY house."

"And you forget, dearest, that ultimately, this is MY house, and I make the final say who can stay," Azul replied in an annoyed tone.  He turned to Gem.  "I know it may seem a bit awkward now, but I do wish you would stay tonight."

“I think I’ll stay,” Gem says with a smile, completely ignoring her mother’s outburst for the moment. She dabs at her lips after swallowing a bite of food, then turns to her mother. “It was Orion’s, now it is Gemini’s. And she won’t leave just because you say so.”

Indigo huffed and everyone finished their meal in silence.

* * *

The next day dawned bright and clear, almost as if some magical creatures had a part in creating the perfect day for an outdoor party.  In Trottingham, Gem was saying goodbye to her parents, both of whom accompanied her to the train station.  She was dressed as she usually was back in Canterlot, over her mother's protests, and as the conductor called out for final boarding, she hugged and kissed her father before moving to her mother.  Indigo hugged Gem, and Gem could feel a slight flinch as she did so.  With a kiss on the cheek, Indigo moved back and Gem boarded the train, waving to her folks as the train pulled away and started chugging along toward Canterlot.

Back in Canterlot, Sunset had gone out to pick up Emerald and Twilight, and to fetch the cupcakes from Sugarcube Corner.  Twilight and Emerald both had cameras, and after a few obligatory pictures, "just to make sure they're working okay" as Twilight explained with a grin, they were off on their way.

Raven and the Dazzlings were already at the park, lugging bag after bag of party favors and snack foods to the picnic area. Aria and Sonata had been up late into the night and this morning they were dragging a little bit. "We couldn't have done this later on?  As far as I'm concerned, morning on a weekend is 11:59 am," Aria said wearily.

"Had you not been arguing with each other almost all night long, you might have got more sleep," Adagio retorted, herself a bit more rested but not by a whole lot.

Aria and Sonata looked at each other.  "She started it," they said in unison, pointing at each other.

Raven leaned in to Adagio.  "They're not going to be like this all day, are they?"

Adagio shook her head.  "No, they should be okay once Gem gets back."  she watched as the two argued over which branch of a tree to use to hang the piñata.  "They better be okay," she mumbled under her breath.

* * *

Gem watched the countryside whiz by as the train sped toward Canterlot, her heart considerably lighter than it had been. Not only did her parents now know who she truly was, her father was accepting, though her mother would take some work. Still the eternal optimist, Gem thought she would come around in time. Only when she checked her phone for the first time that day did she remember what day it was. “Oh, it’s my birthday,” she said to herself, looking only mildly surprised. “Maybe I can get the gang together when I get home, and do something…”

The gang, meanwhile, was decorating the picnic area for Gem's surprise party.  Sunset was busy ferrying supplies from the various shops they needed to visit, and they had even pressed Longhaul into service by ever so gently and subtly asking him if he'd want to help, to which he naturally said yes.

Twilight and Emerald helped out where they could, and spent the rest of the time snapping pictures of the setup.  Raven strung streamers from the tree branches, Adagio arranged the snack feast with the cupcakes in the center of the table, and Aria and Sonata bickered over the placement of certain papery decorations, which Adagio also had to serve as half-mediator and half-referee.

Longhaul and Sunset watched the group work in between trips to the stores, and smiled.  "Gem should love this.  You all are going all-out for her," he said, watching Aria and Sonata argue over whether a paper ball should be placed a millimeter to the right or to the left.

“She deserves it,” Sunset said with a smile, hands resting in her jacket pockets. “I think Raven has an extra surprise in store, too, but she’s being tight-lipped. You know how it is with magicians.”

"A good magician never reveals her secrets," Raven announced as she approached the two.  "Besides, I'm not as tight-lipped as Twilight and Emerald are being about their gift.  Ooh, that reminds me, I'd better see where Gem is so we know when to be at the train station."  She took out her phone and started typing a quick text to Gem.  "I hope she still has service on that train ride."  She finished typing out  "Hey, where are you now?" and pushed Send.

Phone reception was intermittent, but Gem managed to get Raven’s text just in time, and quickly responded. “Just passed the Hollow Shades, should be there in 15 minutes or so. Much love!”

"OK, see you at the train station.  Love you! *mwah*” Raven replied.  "Okay, she's fifteen minutes out, I'd better start heading that way.  Longhaul, could you stop and get the hot foods?  We'll need them here in about a half hour or so."

Twilight and Emerald approached.  "Um, Mister Longhaul, if it's not too much trouble, could Emmy and I go with you?  We need to make a stop and get Gem's gift," Twilight asked.

"Not a problem," Longhaul answered with a smile.  "Come on, we'll get your stuff done and then we'll get the food.  Raven, Sunset, we'll be back in about a half hour or so."  Longhaul led Twi and Emmy toward his car.

"Thanks again, Longhaul," Raven called after him before announcing, "I'm going to get Gem now.  Try not to destroy anything while I'm gone, kay?" to the still-squabbling Dazzlings.

"We'll be good," rang out three angelic voices.  With that, Raven jumped into her car and drove to the train station, pulling up just in time for Gem’s train to pull into the station. Gem collects her things and clambers off the train, searching the platform for her beloved. It doesn’t take long, for Raven finds not only Gem’s platform, but Gem herself! Beaming, the two girls run toward each other and hug one another tight. “I’m so happy to see you!” Gem says. “It’s been such an emotional weekend… I can’t wait to tell the rest of the girls!”

"I was so worried when I got that text last night," Raven said, holding Gem tightly to her.  "I'm so happy you are okay and things went okay."  She kisses Gem's cheek.  "And, happy birthday, young woman!"

Gem beams and just kisses Raven full on the lips, then gets her things and walks with her toward her car.

"I was thinking it was such a nice day that we could spend the day in the park, just enjoying the nice fall weather," Raven suggested as they went along.  "If you want, I can ask the others if they're free and if they want to join us."

Gem smiles and kisses Raven’s cheek as they pull out of the station, “That would be wonderful,” she says happily. “A perfect way to spend the day!”

"Okay, let me contact Sunset and she can contact the others."  Raven pulls out her phone and taps out "enroute, get ready, send reply" and hits Send.  A second or two later, Raven's phone buzzes.  "All set, bring b-day girl" reads Sunset's reply.  Raven smiles.  "Okay, she'll meet us there and bring whoever might be free."  Raven starts the car and the two drive toward the park.

* * *

Emerald climbs into one of the back seats with Twilight taking the passenger side, and buckles up. She decides to make conversation. “So, how long have you known Gem for?” she asks him.

"I've known Gem from when she first transferred over from Trottingham Preparatory," Longhaul replied, grinning at the memory.  "First time she was on my bus, she was very quiet, very nervous, but through it all, very polite.  We started talking and we became friends not long after that."  He scanned down the road.  "So, where do you two need to stop?"

"There, at that craft store," Emerald pointed out, "It shouldn't take more than twenty minutes, if you want to wait for us."

"Oh, I've always wanted to check this place out," Longhaul said.  "I've wanted to see what they had for oil painting supplies."  He parked the car close to the store. "Don't worry about the time, just come and find me in the painting aisle when you're done."

"Thanks, Longhaul," Twilight said, snapping one more picture.

“Gotcha!” Emerald nods and leads the way into the store, bobbing her head in time to the cheesy muzak that played on the stereo system. “Trottingham Preparatory, huh?” she remarks to Twilight as they walk. “That explains the accent.”

* * *

"It's supposed to be blue, green, blue, green, blue, green!  What are people gonna think when they see blue, green, blue, green, green?!" Aria snapped.

"They'll probably wonder who the idiot was that didn't get enough blue hangy things!" Sonata retorted.

Adagio stood, her head in her hands.  "Calgon, take me away ... better yet, take those two  away so I can have some peace and quiet," she moaned.

Sunset stood and rubbed Adagio's shoulders.  "Hang in there ... do it for Gem."

Adagio sighed, nodding in agreement. “Always the better option, I think…” She makes her way forward toward the arguing pair, and asks “Girls, think about who we’re doing this for. Do you really think Gem is going to care about color coordination?”

Sonata and Aria look at Adagio, then at each other.  They both sigh and grin sheepishly.  "No, she wouldn't," Sonata said.  "Come on, Aria, let's just finish this up."  She removed the extra green decoration.

Sunset's phone buzzed.  "Okay, Longhaul, Twi, and Emmy are on their way here with the food.   Let's get the rest of this done quick, Raven and Gem won't be too far behind," Sunset announced.

“Gotcha!” chorus the Dazzlings, and the four of them work quickly to finish the final preparations, and disguise everything so that Gem doesn’t have the surprise ruined. This is accomplished by an invisibility shield that Carrie brought over. Longhaul, Emmy, and Twi show up next and quickly get into position. For all intents and purposes, there seems to be nothing out of the ordinary visible.

"I hope Carrie can make it here in time,” Sunset says, looking anxious.

"What's delaying her, anyway?" Sonata asked.

A bright flash and a muffled poofing sound occurred a short distance from the picnic site.  Stumbling toward the group, hair smoking lightly, face smudged with soot, was Carrie.  "Woohoo!!!!  It actually worked!  Matter transportation between two remote points actually worked!"  She looked at a device on her wrist, it was shattered and partially melted.  "Oh, crackers.  Um, could someone give me a lift home after the party?"

Sunset giggles as Twilight gets all excited at meeting another scientist. “I’d be happy to, Carrie,” Sunset replies. 

Adagio makes quick dispersing motions with her hands. “Quick everyone, get under cover! On the count of three, leap out and say surprise!”

Raven and Gem pull up to the picnic area.  Trees sway gently in the light breeze, sunlight filters through the leaves which are beginning to change color, and all looks peaceful and quiet.  Raven studies the area and frowns.  "Hm, the others said they'd meet us here," she said as the two walked toward the picnic table.  Raven cleared her throat and announced, "Where is everyone?"

On cue, the shields fizzled away, revealing Longhaul, Carrie, Twilight and Emerald, Sunset, and the Dazzlings standing in front of a picnic table overflowing with delicious snacks.  The trees had been decorated with different colored paper decorations, and a banner over the entire thing read, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY GEMINI!"  The gang yelled out in unison, "SURPRISE!!!!"

Gem gasps and squeals happily, bouncing up and down like an excitable schoolgirl, and hugs everyone in turn. “Oooh, thank you thank you thank you thank you! This is spectacular!”

The group gathered around and sang Gemini her birthday [song](https://youtu.be/QQf13fpbxpY) before moving in to get some of the lovely food.  Sonata, at Longhaul's urging, picked up a taquito, sniffed it, and  took a bite.  Stars formed in her eyes as she quickly snapped up several more.

Gem watches Sonata’s reaction and laughs. “I think she’s just found a new obsession!” she says to Adagio, while munching on a cupcake. Emerald has a quesadilla while Twilight cowers in fear, until she is sated by the appearance of nachos.

Sunset approaches Longhaul, who is munching on a piece of pizza.  "Thanks again for getting the hot foods for us, and on such short notice," she said.

Longhaul waved a hand.  "Think nothing of it.  I'm glad I could help out today."

"That's your answer for everything, isn't it?" asked Adagio with a grin on her face.  Longhaul just shrugged.  "Go with what you know," he replied, punctuating his statement with a  firm bite of his pizza.

Raven wrapped an arm around Gemini.  "So, was it a good surprise?" she asked.

“A wonderful surprise,” Gemini says, wrapping an arm around Raven. “I’m just so happy! Delicious food, the company of wonderful friends, and the most wonderful girl I’ve ever known.” She hugs Raven tight. “I need nothing else.” Behind her, Sonata has found a wheelbarrow and is chasing Aria with it, even though it’s piled high with tacos and taquitos.

"We have a few more surprises for you, too," Raven says, as a loud crash erupts behind them.  "Some you might actually like."  She calls out to the group, "Hey, let's get Gem her gifts," and everyone gathers around.

Longhaul is tapped to go first.  "Gem, you are a wonderful person and  a great friend, and I know how much you've admired and encouraged my attempts at painting, so ... I want you to have this."  Gem tears the paper off to reveal an oil painting of a lighthouse by the sea at night.

“Ooooh, I just love lighthouses!” Gem beams and hugs the painting gently, then the artist responsible. “It’s beautiful! I love the waves, and the flare from the light! Thank you so much!”

Adagio, Sonata, and Aria step forward.  "Gem, after everything that happened with the Battle of the Bands, and afterward, you've been with us every step, helping us, giving us encouragement...there's not much we can do, but we wanted to give you this."  Adagio presents a long box, which when opened reveals a golden chain.  At the end of the chain is a ruby, a replica of the ones the Dazzlings used to wear.  "Congratulations, you are now an honorary Dazzling."  All three move up and hug Gem tight.

Gem puts on the ornament and smiles, hugging them tightly. “It’s beautiful…” she says with a smile. “Thank you, girls!”

Carrie comes forward and gives Gem a hug.  "It's been a long road, cousin, and I'm glad we were able to walk most of it together.  I know how you like practical stuff, so ... "  She reaches into a bag and produces Gem’s old magic screwdriver, newly repaired.  "It doesn't do too much, but it does work again.  It even changes the channels on your TV.  Happy birthday, cuz."

Gem kisses it and slips it into her pocket, hugging Carrie tight, “Oh thank you! It’ll really come in handy the next time we have to defeat, say, a crazed she-demon.” She looks to Sunset and Twilight. “No offense.”

Sunset gently baps Gem on the head.  "None taken, you goof.  In fact, I'm glad that you were able to free me from that spell I was under, the spell of unlimited power.  I'm glad, because I was able to pay it forward not long ago."  She glanced at Twilight, who took a sudden interest in a particular blade of grass directly below her, her cheeks red from blushing.  "I talked to pony Twilight, who spoke to your counterpart in the pony world, and we got you this."  She passes over a box, which contains a bright red bowtie and a fez.  "It's hoof-made in Equestria.  We hope you like it."

“I do, I do I do!” She claps her hands excitedly and puts on the fez and bowtie, acting exactly like a kid at Christmastime. “I have a counterpart in the pony world? How fascinating! We simply must go and visit her someday! Or him. Whichever.”

Twilight and Emerald step forward.  "Um, well ... we haven't known you for all that long, but for your kindness, we wanted to do something special for you,” they say.  They pass over a large book.  On the cover is a cut-out from a magazine that reads, "What do you get for the girl that has everything?" Underneath that is a reproduction of Gem's school yearbook photo. Inside are various photographs of all of her friends.  Most of them are pictures from the set-up earlier at the park.  Sunset is the first, the candid shots taken in the car.  Next are pictures of the Dazzlings -- Sonata hanging decorations, Sonata and Aria arguing about the decorations with Adagio standing nearby with her head in her hands, all three arguing, all three noticing the camera, all three hugging and smiling. Pictures of Longhaul and Raven stringing the banner, follow, along with group shots of everyone.  On the very last page is a picture of Twilight and Emerald, both of them holding a banner that reads, "The wealth of friends is the greatest treasure of all."

Twilight and Emerald wait for Gem to finish looking through the book before Twilight asks, "Was it okay?  I mean, I know it wasn't much, but ... "

Tears spring in Gem’s eyes as she starts to cry, but these are tears of joy. She hugs Twilight and Emerald close, smiling through her tears. “It’s gorgeous… I can’t thank you enough!”

Raven, deliberately waiting for last, steps forward.  "I know we brought you here to celebrate your birthday, but I actually had another purpose in mind for today.  You see, from the moment we first met, I knew you were something special, just from the way you carried yourself, the ease at which you could make others feel welcomed and relaxed, and that was what first attracted me to you.  Well, that and seeing Sunset threatening to beat the stuffing out of you." There were some nervous chuckles.  "But, we made it through that together.  We survived the Battle of the Bands, you put up with that whole Mysterio business, and you never once thought you'd be better off without me despite the strains both of those put on our relationship.  I've known this for a long time, and after what happened with Crystal Prep, and our impending graduation, I now know that the time is right to do this.”

Dropping to one knee, Raven removed a small velvet-lined box from the pocket of her jacket.  She opened the box to reveal a silver ring, with intricate designs carved along the sides.  On the top was a mount with two stones, each one split in half and joined together -- one onyx, the other a green jade.  Raven removed the ring and slid it on Gem's finger.  “Gemini Shadow, I ask you now in front of everyone gathered -- will you be my love and my companion, from this day forward now and forever, to eventually join in marriage when we are both ready?"

Gem can only smile as the ring is placed onto her finger, and holds Raven’s hand in her own as she stares deep into those pink-red pools she loved so much. “Yes,” she says quietly. “I will.” And then she kisses her, deeper and with more sheer passion than Raven has ever been kissed before. After a time, she breaks the kiss. “You are the most beautiful, amazing, splendid, spectacular young woman I’ve ever had the fortune to meet… you’ve stood by me for everything. It would be my honor to be your wife, my dear one.”

Cheers and applause erupt from all gathered, and even a few tears were spotted forming in the eyes of a couple of the guests.  The group gathered around to congratulate the newly-betrothed and to admire the ring.

Gem runs her fingertips along the metal surface, smiling still more. “It’s beautiful… where in the world did you find such a thing? And such a gorgeous design, it must have been custom made!"

"It took me a while to find a good jeweler to do the work, but thanks to this big lug here--" Raven jerked a thumb at Longhaul-- "I was put in touch with a jeweler that could do what I was looking for."  Raven kisses Longhaul on the cheek.  "Thanks, you big lug."

Longhaul blushed.  "You're welcome.  I'm amazed at how good that turned out, it's quite stunning."

I’m going to wear it every day,” Gem decides, staring fondly at it. “But I’ll put it in a safe place during PE classes.” She squeezes Raven’s hand, and looks around at everyone. “So… first, I’d like to thank you all for coming today… all of this… it’s more than I ever dreamed! I feel so blessed to have you all as friends! And second… who would like to hear about my weekend?”

The group signals its assent as they grab snacks and drinks, and settle down in the grass.  "Tell us a story, Auntie Gem," Sonata says to chuckles and giggles.

Gem breaks into storytelling mode. “Let’s see… it all began after my train arrived in Trottingham…” And she goes into flashback mode, leaving no part of the story untold, except for the very boring museum opening, where she had to stand around in a suit and look important. After a while she gets to the best part. “Then I ponied up, and used my magic to make myself a ball gown and earrings! You wouldn’t believe the look on her face, it was almost comical! And when Father saw me a few minutes later, he told me I was beautiful!”

Gasps arose when Gem described her mother's reaction, and her transformation.  "I knew your mother hated me, but I never thought she'd say that about me!" Raven exclaimed. She then gets an evil grin.  "When do you wanna tell her we're engaged?"

Gem laughs, “A few months, let the shock of it all wear off… she’ll probably explode!” She then does a very accurate impression of her mother: “How dare you marry that meddlesome witch! No son of mine would ever do such a thing!’ to which I would reply, “Good thing I’m your daughter then, aren’t I? You don’t have to worry about him anymore.”

The group erupts in laughter.  "Well, I'm glad Uncle Azul was cool about the whole thing," Carrie said.  "I knew he had a good head on his shoulders."

“You and me both,” Gem agrees, looking to Carrie. “In fact, I was thinking of something on the train ride back… when I do my public reveal to the good citizens of Trottingham, what would you say to establishing a Trottingham chapter of the Rainbow Alliance?”

"I'd say that's  a great idea!  Let me get in touch with some of my contacts and we can get things rolling," Carrie replied.

“Excellent!” Gemini smiles happily and high-fives her cousin. “I can just see it now… a worldwide rainbow, uniting us all!” On cue, she begins to pony up. “Wouldn’t that be satisfying?”

Everyone watching is amazed at Gem's transformation.  " I think she found her true purpose," Sunset remarked.  "I'll let Princess Twilight know about this later on."

Carrie chuckled. "That's my cousin, always with the glitz and glam," she said jokingly.

“What’s that? Philanthropy?” she wonders, reaching up to touch one of her ears, and giggling as her finger brushes up against the fur. 

"Maybe it has something to do with unity," Twilight suggested.  "It seems when you work for the betterment of everyone, you  .. .you do that."

Gem ohs, and nods some. “That makes sense to me!” she says, getting to her feet at last. “Well, this has been very enjoyable, but I think it’s time Raven and I headed home… what do you think, love?” She looks to Raven curiously.

"I think that's a  good idea.  What say we get this cleaned up first?" Raven says, noting the sun getting lower in the sky.  Everyone springs into action, picking up trash, taking the decorations down, and packing up the leftover food.

Finally, the group gathers by Raven’s and Sunset’s cars. By now, the sun is setting. Gemini gives everyone one last hug each, and smiles. “I guess I’ll see you all soon,” she says, and looks to Longhaul. “Same time, same bus?”

"Regular as clockwork," Longhaul replies with a grin.  "See you Monday morning."  He walks off to his car with a couple of boxes of leftover pizza.

"Have a great night, Gem!" Adagio says as the Dazzlings hug her.  They wait for Sunset to add her hugs before they all head for home.

Twilight and Emerald, joined by Carrie, hug Gem and go over to Longhaul's car for their rides home.

Finally, Gem and Raven climb into Raven’s car. As Raven starts the engine, Gem says, “How would you feel about a DVD, some tea, and snuggling when we get home?”

"I think that would be perfect."  She kisses Gem's cheek.  "Happy birthday, my love."  She puts the car in gear and drives off, the sun sinking below the horizon.

* * *

The following summer, Gemini flipped through the scrapbook Emerald and Twilight had given her for her last birthday. They’d added to the pages in the months since then, and Princess Twilight had even enchanted it to make it ever-expandable, meaning it would never run out pages. She’d even added photos taken earlier in her high school days, from before transition, making this scrapbook a complete chronicle of her high school life. As she reached the one blank page, at the very back, she closed the book and smiled, sighing happily. So many wonderful memories… 

Idly, she stared at the engagement ring around her finger, and twisted it around in circles. Raven was no longer just her girlfriend, but her fiancé. In a year, the two of them would be married and living in Manehattan, as they had discussed. She had the girl of her dreams, the body she had always dreamt of, and the best friends in this or any other world. And yet, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong, that there was something out there that had the power to bring everything she had worked so hard to create come crashing down around her. Images flooded her mind: her friends abandoning her, Raven leaving her forever, an unknown assailant attacking her simply because of what she was. Gemini shivered. Whatever it was, she wouldn’t allow it to win. She couldn’t.

With a yawn, Gemini climbed into her bed and turned out the light, bathing her room in darkness. Outside, she could see the moon, shining its dim light over the town. As she drifted off, she could’ve thought she heard a noise, but paid it no mind. In time, she fell asleep, knowing what the morning would bring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> C: Completely improvised, but I figured Gem would have to come out to her parents eventually, so doing it near her birthday made the most sense. I admit to being somewhat jealous of Gem here, as her coming out went a little better than mine did, at least as far as her dad is concerned. Her mom and my mom both freaked out, though thankfully, my mom isn’t nearly as bad as Indigo eventually becomes.
> 
> This is also the scene where Raven finally proposes to Gem. It was a long time coming, and the speech she gives during it is utterly beautiful. If I’m ever lucky enough to find a girlfriend like Raven, I hope she says something like this to me.
> 
> L: We did infuse a bit of real-life drama from Christa into this during the Trottingham scenes. It was also a nice way to include Twi and Emmy in the circle of friends, and it was nice to portray a trans-friendly character in the form of Azul. Overall, it was a cute story to write. I had fun especially with the Dazzlings, writing them as the squabbling sisters they are.


	7. The Legend of Everfree: Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gem and friends take a well-deserved break from their academic pursuits to go to Camp Everfree, but the camp is in danger of closing down and being turned into a spa. Meanwhile, Twilight has been suffering from a series of bad dreams involving Midnight Sparkle, the evil she-demon she became during the Friendship Games. And if that wasn't enough, the girls find themselves imbued with new powers while at camp, scaring Twilight even more.

Twilight Sparkle was a very lucky girl. Her mother, Twilight Velvet, was an English professor at an Ivy League university while her father, Night Light, served as the Canterlot police commissioner, and her older brother was an officer in that precinct. She herself had been admitted to Crystal Prep almost immediately, and would have graduated with honours had the Friendship Games not thrown everything out the window.

As Twilight journeyed home from the bus stop to her house, she thought about the afternoon that changed her life forever. It had been such a simple day. She woke up in the hotel her fellow Crystal Prep students were staying in, and took the bus to CHS for the third and final event of the three-day Friendship Games. Her magic-stealing device was almost full, and the magic she'd seen from the Canterlot High students during the obstacle course event had been more than enough to fill it entirely. 

Then, on the advice of Principal Cinch, she unleashed the stolen magic on herself and transformed into a purple-skinned raging she-demon whose only goal was to take all the magic in Equestria, destroying this world in the process. She could still, in her darkest nightmares, hear the words the voice had whispered as it transformed her.

Luckily, it had all come crashing down when three sirens, themselves once driven by the forces of darkness, convinced Twilight that her path would lead to ruin. Twilight was saved, and went on to attend Canterlot High instead, with her girlfriend Emerald and the six other girls who had saved her life.

But, Twilight knew, that hadn't been the end of the story. For that night, as she laid herself down in her own [room](http://bit.ly/2eNNhQX) for the first time in three days, she felt a sharp pain in her back. Sitting up quickly, Twilight took off her pajama top and faced her full-length mirror, then turned so that her back was to it.

From what she could see, Twilight could make out the dark, angry [outlines](http://bit.ly/2eNKBmc) of the wings she'd had as Midnight Sparkle, scarring the lavender flesh as if carved there by a chisel. Gingerly, Twilight reached around and placed a fingertip on one of the scar lines, then hissed. Even now, it felt like fire.

"What am I going to tell the girls?" Twilight wondered, imagining the reactions that Emerald, Gem, Raven, Sunset, Adagio, Aria, and Sonata all would have if they'd known. 

"They'll reject you," said a voice in her ear. Twilight jumped and was surprised to find that Midnight herself was sitting on her bed, cross-legged and wearing the same outfit she'd worn earlier that day at the Games. She smirked, baring her fangs. "They'll reject you, Twilight. Once they know that you still carry me inside you, they'll drop you like a hot potato, and then... I'll become the only friend you'll ever need." She grabbed Twilight and kissed her roughly on the lips, but Twilight pushed back, sending her into the nearest wall. The demon flew backwards, crashing into Twilight’s bookshelf and sending books flying all over.

Twilight catapulted awake and took several deep breaths, drenched in cold sweat. Cautiously, she reached back and ran her fingers down her back again. The scars were there, but they didn’t hurt. Sighing, the young scientist fell back on her pillows, making a silent promise never to tell the girls about them.

Over the next few weeks, Twilight’s sleep didn’t improve. She spent every night waking up absurdly early from another nightmare with Midnight, but even so, Twilight did her best to hold herself to the promise she’d made. Each morning was spent applying makeup to the scars so that they’d remain hidden even if she took off her shirt. As she packed away her makeup kit the night before she was due to leave for camp, she sighed. “Hiding those is gonna be a lot harder if I have a tent-mate…” she muttered to herself. “I’ll just have to come up with something…”

* * *

A few weeks later, Twilight was having another nightmare. She tossed and turned in bed, muttering "No. It can't be. It isn't true..."

From outside there came a knock on the door, and Emerald's voice was heard to shout "Yo, Sparks! The bus for Camp Everfree leaves in ten minutes!"

Twilight's eyes shot open and she threw the covers off herself, getting dressed as quickly as she could. "Oh no no no no no! I can't believe I overslept!"

Her door opened as seven other girls, Emerald, Sonata, Aria, Adagio, Sunset, Raven, and Gem all entered the room. Sunset was looking concerned. "Me neither. That's not like you."

"I know!" agreed Twilight, as she dove under her bed to look for shoes. "We're not going to miss the bus, are we?"

Gem gave Twilight an encouraging smile. "Of course we won't! We'll help you pack!" And with that, the eight girls quickly got work with packing, using a checklist Twilight had drawn up the night before. As Twilight went to her mirror to apply her makeup, dark wings appeared on either side of her back, and a shadow whooshed forward from the glass, resolving itself into the form of...

"Midnight Sparkle?!" shouted the Rubies collectively.

"How is this possible? The Dazzlings helped me defeat you at the Friendship Games!" Twilight shouted, adjusting her glasses as she spoke.

Midnight smirked. "You and your friends can never truly defeat me!" She began to laugh maniacally, teleporting all of Twilight's friends away, even the room they were standing in, with a wave of her fingers. She smiled malevolently. "Don't you understand? I'm a part of you! I'll always be there waiting in the darkest shadows of your mind! I'll be back, Twilight! And this time, I won't stop 'til I have all the magic!" With another wave, Twilight's friends returned, only to have the magic sucked out of their bodies. They fell against one another in a pile of bodies, lifeless.

Twilight screamed. "No! STOP!"

Suddenly, Twilight was shaken awake by a hand on her shoulder. "Sparks, wake up!" Emerald said, looking worried. "Are you okay?”

Twilight smiled awkwardly. "Heh. I'm fine," she said. "No night terrors here!"

Emerald and Gem exchanged worried looks, then Gem spoke: "Twilight, I realize you're still adjusting from your time at Crystal Prep, but... we're your friends. If something's bothering you, you should tell us. You haven't had a good night's sleep in weeks, we're all worried about you." The other girls nodded in agreement.

"I'm sorry," Twilight said, looking down at her knees. "I just don't want to be a bother."

"Twilight, look at me," Gem said softly, tilting Twilight's head up with her fingers so their eyes met. "You are not a bother. Not to me, not to Emerald, not to anyone. We're friends, and friends help each other." Then she smiled. "What I need you to do now is relax. We'll be at camp for a whole week, there will be plenty of time to rest and recharge! Right, girls?"

Sonata broke into the conversation at that moment. "We are gonna have so much fun! We're gonna roast marshmallows and eat marshmallows and sleep on marshmallow pillows! With tacos!"

"Yeah, probably not gonna do that," said Aria, crossing her arms.

Sonata pointed at Aria. "Maybe you're not!" she accused, and the two started to argue. Again.

Principal Celestia interrupted them just in time. "Attention, students, we're almost there. But before we arrive, we just wanted to say how proud we are of you for raising enough money to go on this class field trip."

Gem blushed. "Half the money came from me..." she muttered.

"When we were your age, we made some of our favorite memories in these woods, and we're sure you will, too," added Vice Principal Luna. She winked playfully at Longhaul, who was driving the bus.

Principal Celestia spoke again. "Now who's excited for Camp Everfree?!"

The students cheered loudly in response.

* * *

The bus rolled along the highway, and along a quiet, tree-lined two-lane road. The early morning sun filtered through the trees, and a nice breeze wafted through the open windows, carrying the scents of pine and clean mountain air. Woodland critters scampered along, visible along the sides of the road before darting back into the relative safety of the trees. The bus pulled under an archway made of logs into a central unloading area. Surrounding this were large community buildings, constructed of logs, and vast stretches of open plain flanked by the edge of the forest. Longhaul set the brakes and opened the doors, watching as the students piled out and gathered in the grassy area. Luna smiled as she walked by Longhaul, as did Celestia.

“I can’t believe just how beautiful Camp Everfree is!” Sonata said excitedly, twirling around to look at all of the scenery.

"It really is gorgeous," Gem agrees, stepping off the bus with the others. "Even so, I'm looking forward to some R&R. I think we could all use it after the last couple years."

"Agreed," says Raven, taking Gem's hand. "Between fighting off three evil sirens and a couple of raging she-demons, no offense, I think we've all earned some time off."

The Dazzlings and Sunset smiled and replied with, “None taken.” Sunset wrapped an arm around Twilight’s shoulder. “You’ll get used to it,” she said with a grin.

Emerald opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted by a voice issuing from a loudspeaker nearby: "Hey, everyone! If you could start heading to the courtyard, that would be rad! It's time to start the best week of camp ever!"

Gem winces. "She's chipper, isn't she?"

“I usually don’t trust people when they’re that chipper,” Raven says. Sonata wraps her arms around Raven, hugging her tight and grinning like crazy. “Okay, with a few exceptions.”

The campers gather around a small stage. A lady with red hair and a wreath of daisies on her head spoke into a microphone. “Hi, everyone! Welcome to Camp Everfree! I'm Gloriosa Daisy, your camp director! Think of me as your friendly camp and nature guide.”

"And I'm her brother, Timber Spruce," said the young man standing beside Gloriosa. They looked about college age. He grinned at the crowd and said "Think of me as that awesome guy... who should always be invited to fun things."

"We aim to please, so before we hand out our tent assignments, we'd like to hear from all of you. You're free to do whatever you like here! So what activities will make this the very best week of your lives ever?" says Gloriosa.

Raven puts up her hand. "Rock climbing! Archery! Tetherball!"

Gem boops Raven's nose. "Love, I know you're excited, but let's give someone else a chance to speak, alright?"

“Arts and crafts!” Emerald cries out. She looks around sheepishly. “My .. mom needs new pot holders.”

“Cookie decorating!” Sonata calls out.

“Early morning nature walks?” Adagio says.

“What about the camp gift?” asks Celestia. “That was my favorite Camp Everfree tradition.”

Gloriosa listens to all of the suggestions. “Of course! I’ll be taking requests the rest of the time you’re here, so if there’s anything you’d like to do, anything you need, just ask.”

Timber leans in and whispers to Gloriosa, “Really?”

“Yes, really,” Gloriosa whispers back.

“Well, I just thought--” Timber whispered.

“Then you thought wrong!” Gloriosa whisper-hissed.

“Anyone else picking up on the tension between Gloriosa and her brother?” Sunset asked.

“Maybe a little,” Aria deadpanned.

"Just a tad," Gem said dryly.

"Every year, campers work together to create something useful, a gift for future campers. Working toward this common goal is key to forming the strong bonds that will last well beyond your time here at camp!" Gloriosa gestured to the area around them. "This gazebo was a gift from last year's group. Oh, oh, oh, and the totem pole and the sundial were also made by campers!"

"The sundial was our year's gift!" said Celestia.

Luna coughed. "Even though "some people" thought it was a little impractical, since the sundial can't be used at night."

“Look, just because your idea for a planetarium wasn’t accepted...” Celestia said quietly.

Gloriosa chuckled nervously. “Yo all seem like a really...amazing group. So, I’m certain you’ll come up with something inspiring to leave behind.”

“Speaking of leaving things behind,” Timber said, “now’s the time when we give out tent assignments so you can leave your heavy bags behind!” He picked up a small canvas bag and walked to the opposite corner of the stage.

“Girls will be getting their assignments from Timber. Guys, you’re with me,” Gloriosa said, picking up her own bag.

"I'm in the Emerald tent!" squealed Sonata. Aria checked her card and groaned. "Me too..."

Emerald blinked. "I have a tent named after me?"

Adagio chuckled. “Don’t get a swelled head now, it’s a gemstone theme. So, who’s with me in the Aquamarine tent?”

Emerald looked at her card. “Um … hi, roomie,” she said to Adagio.

Sunset and Raven looked at their cards. “Amethyst.”

Twilight picked her card. “Sapphire for me,” she said.

"Me too!" Gem says happily, and smiles at Twilight. "Sapphires are probably my favorite kind of stone. And they come in so many colors! They can be pink, purple, yellow... a whole rainbow's worth!"

“Yeah, but they’re mostly blue,” Twilight said, slipping into lecture mode. “That’s why they’re named after the Latin word ‘sapphirus.’ And did you know that sapphires are just rubies without chromium?”

Gem looks very interested. "I didn't! You must tell me everything you know!" They walk off toward Sapphire Tent, talking the whole way.

Raven smirks. "If those two weren't already dating other people, I'd say they should hook up. How 'bout it, Sunny?"

Sunset winked. “They would be a cute couple, and the geekiness would be off the chart.”

A shrill whistle rang out over the grounds. “Okay everyone, go get settled in. We’ll be meeting at the docks in fifteen minutes to go over some camp safety rules. Let me know if you need anything!” Gloriosa announced.

“I need something,” said a sinister-sounding voice. Filthy Rich stepped into view and walked over to Gloriosa.

"Filthy Rich! So nice to see you!" says Gloriosa, putting on a fake smile. "What are you doing here?! Camp is just getting started!"

Filthy Rich smirked. "Just takin' in the scenery, Gloriosa Daisy. It's so... hmm... relaxin'."

Gem watched this exchange and frowned, putting her fingers on her chin. "I know that man from somewhere... he used to pop up around Trottingham all the time when I was growing up... Father didn't like him much. But what's he doing -here?!-"

Gloriosa narrowed her eyes and stared at Filthy Rich. “Well, you can look around when camp is over! Now, if you don’t mind…” She pointedly stared at his limo, then back at him.

A knowing smile crept over Filthy’s face. “Fine,” he said smarmily, stepping inside the car. The limo took off quickly.

Gloriosa put on a nervous smile. “Filthy Rich is … um … an alumni of the camp. He likes to check on his old stomping grounds every now and again.” She laughed nervously. “But, enough about him. Find your tents and put away your things. We’ve got the best week of camp ever to begin!”

* * *

Twilight looked over at Gem. “Are you okay, Gem? You seemed strange when you saw that Filthy Rich guy.”

Gem shakes her head, "I'm fine, Twilight, just wondering about his connection with Gloriosa... and Gloriosa herself, for that matter. But what about you?" She starts hanging up t-shirts. "You've said barely a word all day!"

Twilight looked away from Gem and down at the floor. “I—I'm fine," Twilight says, trying to brush it off. "I mean, what do I have to complain about? Ever since I transferred here, everyone from CHS has been really nice and accepting, especially considering what happened at the Friendship Games." She glanced downwards.

Gem went over and placed her hand on Twilight's knee. "What happened wasn't your fault, and you know it. It was all because of Cinch and those other students. You weren't ready to have that kind of power. But it's over now. And if there's any group that'll forgive you for something that happened in the past, trust me, it's this one." She smiled. "You know something, Twilight? You and I are a lot alike."

"How so?" Twilight asked.

Gem thought for a moment. "Well, let's see... we both attended expensive schools before coming to CHS, were outcasts at those previous schools, found real friends only when we came to Canterlot... I see a lot of myself in you, Twilight. And I want you to know, if there's anything going on that's bothering you, I will bend over backwards to help you." She placed a kiss on Twilight's cheek. "That's what friends do for each other."

Twilight blushed. “Thanks, Gem.”

Raven called from outside the tent. “Hey, you two coming or what?”

“Be right there,” Gem responded, “I just wanna put some sunscreen on.” she searched through her bags. “Now, I know I packed it...”

“Here it is!” said Twilight. A glow surrounded her hand, and the tube of sunscreen floated in between the two of them. “Oh, no!” Twilight exclaimed, nervously.

Gem gasps, reaching for her magic screwdriver and pressing the button. It buzzes. "That's definitely Equestrian magic you're using, but through the hands! This is amazing! I mean, we've all ponied up before, gotten the whole ears and wings and tail thing, shot magical rainbow lasers, but nothing like this has ever happened! How did you do it?"

Twilight looks horrified. "I don't know! Maybe it was her!"

Gem blinked. "Her who?"

Twilight shook her head. “Nothing. Never mind. Could we just...not talk about this? And please, could we not bring this up in front of the others?”

Gem looked confused. “Why not?”

“You heard Raven,” Twilight said. “This is supposed to be a place where everyone can get away from magic. I don’t want them to know I brought some crazy new kind with me!”

Gem sighed. “If you really don’t want me to say anything, I won’t.”

“I really don’t,” Twilight said in a soft voice before running from the tent.

* * *

"What a beautiful lake!" Gem says, looking out at the water. "It looks like a diamond shining in the sun!"

"Lake activities are available every day until sunset, so if you want to canoe, sail, windsurf, or swim, just let me know!" Gloriosa says. "I've got this!"

Gem thinks for a moment. "You know, swimming sounds like a wonderful idea! I'll go get my swimsuit!" And she runs off back toward the tent.

“It is lovely out here,” Sonata said, looking over the lake. “The fresh air, the cool breeze, the birds that land on your finger...”

“I’m pretty sure that’s just you,” Aria said, noting Sonata’s new friend. The bird just chirps happily.

Spotting a family of ducks near the dock, Twilight walks out to take a closer look. Her foot hits a weak board, which splinters, almost throwing her into the water. Emerald catches Twilight and brings her back to safety. “You know, Sparks, we’re already a couple, you don’t have to fall for me again.” Twilight blushes and giggles.

“This is a safety hazard,” Luna observes, looking at the broken wood. “I suggest we close down the dock for the remainder of camp.” A collective groan rose from the crowd.

“”Oh, I’m sure it won’t have to be for the remainder of camp,” Gloriosa says hurriedly. “Just needs to be patched up a bit. I’ve got this!”

“Or, maybe we do!” Raven said, inspired. “If you ask me, this whole dock needs to go.” She kicks at a support pier, which topples over. “Building a new one could be out camp gift! Sure, it would benefit us now, but a nice new dock would benefit future campers, too!”

Cheers and words of approval rose from the group. The Wondercolts get to work, and don't stop until Celestia reminds them that it'll be getting dark soon.

"Everyone, get cleaned up, and we'll gather by the fire pit at eight to share s'mores and scary stories!" Gloriosa announces.

Gem claps her hands eagerly. "Oooh, I can tell the one about the vampire in the attic!"

Sonata pops up with her arms full of chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers. “S’MORES!!!!!”

* * *

“… and that’s when she realized, after all of this time, that she was...A JUNIOR LEVEL CHEMIST IN AN ADVANCED PARTICLE PHYSICS LABORATORY!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!” Emerald finished her story to rousing silence. “Aw, c’mon, that’s scary right there...”

“Yeah, I’m quaking in my boots,” Aria said dryly.

“I’m more terrified she’ll tell it again,” Raven said, only to have a marshmallow bounce off her forehead.

"Emerald, I believe Twilight is rubbing off on you," Gem stage-whispers, and everyone laughs.

"Does anyone else have a spooky story?" Luna asks.

Timber speaks. "I have one. But I'm warning you, you might as well hug a friend now. That's how scary it is! It's time I told you about ... the legend of Gaea Everfree!"

"Many years ago, my great-grandparents came to this forest. Seeing its beauty, they decided that it would be the perfect place for a camp. But once they started building, strange things started to happen. One pitch black night, when the wind was howling, a tree branch crashed through the roof of their cabin! They screamed and ran outside, only to see the giant creature rising from the earth! She had wild hair like the roots of a tree. Her mouth had jagged rock teeth and her eyes were pools of black tar. But her aura shimmered like diamonds. Anywhere she went, she left a trail of gem dust in her wake. Trembling, my great-grandparents asked who she was and what she wanted. In a deep and hollow voice, she told them that her name was Gaea Everfree – an ancient spirit who held domain over the forest, and that my great-grandparents were trespassing on her land. They begged her to let them stay and build their camp, to share this wonderful place with others. Gaea Everfree finally agreed but warned them that they would not be able to keep it forever. Someday, she will return and reclaim the forest as her own. So if you see a trail of gem dust, you'll know that it is... GAEA EVERFREE!" Everyone screams.

Gloriosa comes walking out of the woods at that exact moment. “Hey guys! Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you!”

“Then, why did you come out of the bushes?” asked Sunset.

“I...um... took the scenic route!” Gloriosa stammered. “Yes, because the forest is so beautiful at night. But on one should do it without a guide, ‘kay?” She smiled. “All right everyone, time to head to your tents.” The campers got up and started to shuffle back down the paths.

“You don’t think there’s any truth to that story, do you?” Sonata asked. “It sounds like Gaea Everfree could be a creature that go booted from Equestria and ended up in this world. After all, that’s how we got here.”

“I hope it was all made up,” Raven said. “Last thing I want is to have camp ruined by some power-crazed magical creature.”

Twilight winced. “Um, I’m kinda tired. I’m gonna turn in.” She hurried down the path to her tent.

Gem sighed. "Twilight, wait! Raven didn't mean you!" She gives Raven a look that says "We'll talk about this later" and goes off after the former Crystal Prepper.

* * *

As the night settles in, Gem and Twilight are in their tent. Gem is asleep, but Twilight seems restless. In her dream, Twilight sits alone by the fire pit, roasting a marshmallow. 

“Here I am,” a ghostly voice says, echoing through the forest. Twilight looks around, and sees no one there.

“Over here,” the voice taunts. Twilight gets up and looks around, fear and worry etched on her face. The flames in the pit turn purple, and Midnight Sparkle burst forth toward Twilight, yelling, “I’m always here!!!!”

“NO!!!” Twilight screams, raising her arms to defend herself. She’s back in her bunk in the tent.

Gem scrambles out of bed and produces her magic screwdriver. "What's happening?" she asks, her eyes still closed.

"Nothing," Twilight says. "Sorry Gem." She doesn't notice that her bed is floating off the ground. Gem does, and points. "I think something did!" Twilight yelps and the bed falls down onto the ground again.

Gem goes over to Twilight's bed. "I think we need to talk."

“No, we don’t,” Twilight says meekly, turning away from Gem. She climbed out of bed, clad only in her bra and panties. 

Gem pulled on her shirt, then stopped as she noticed the marks on Twilight’s back, which were now plainly obvious. “Twilight,” she asked slowly, “What are those marks on your back?”

Twilight froze. “Uh… what marks, Gem?”

“The ones on your back,” Gem repeated. She snapped a picture and showed it to Twilight, wearing an expression of utmost hurt on her face. “Twilight, honestly… if these are from her, why didn’t you say something earlier?”

“What good would that have done?” Twilight shot back, suddenly angrier than she'd ever been in her life. She felt Midnight cheering her on, felt the first sparks of dark magic between her fingertips. “You would’ve just rejected me anyway, once you found out! That’s what people do to freaks like me!”

“Twilight Sparkle, listen to me!” Gem shouted. “I would never reject you, not in a million years, and you know the others won’t either!”

“NO!” Twilight yelled, as a magical shockwave sent half the tent’s furniture falling over. “I’m a monster, Gem, and that’s all there is to it!” She threw on her shirt and ran out of the tent toward the trees, sobbing profusely.

* * *

An hour later, Twilight was walking alone in the woods. Finding a clearing, she sings [a soft song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPGHvqge9BY) to herself about her inner struggles, staring at her reflection in a small pond the whole time.

A soft rustling of leaves announces someone walking toward Twilight. Sunset comes over and sits down beside Twilight. “Twilight, I think I know why you’ve been so jumpy lately, and having those bad dreams … it’s because of her, isn’t it?”

Twilight almost shakes her head no, but thinks better of it. "Yeah... it's about her." She gulps. "I can feel her every minute of the day, whispering in my ear... before we got here yesterday, I dreamed she teleported you all away and took me over again, then killed all of you." She gulps. "Am I a monster, Sunset?"

“No, Twilight,” Sunset says firmly. “You are by no means a monster. The true monster dwells inside you, taunting you, torturing you in your nightmares. You have magic within you, but you’re afraid to use it, am I right? Gem told me about the incident with the sunscreen, and your levitating the bed in your tent.” She places a hand gently on Twilight’s shoulder. “You’re afraid of losing control, of giving in to Midnight. I understand, more than you realize.”

"But how can you?" Twilight asked. "I mean, I know about what happened when Gem was in her freshman year here, but... they fixed you, didn't they? Gem and Raven and... that other me?"

“They drove the bad thoughts from my mind, yes,” Sunset explained, “and they showed me there was another way – the path of friendship. But my malevolent magic remains deep within me.” she stands and walks a short distance away from Twilight. “There is Equestrian magic here. Please don’t ask me how I know, or where it’s coming from. Just accept that I can sense it better than the others, being from Equestria. The sirens had their link severd countless ages ago, so they wouldn’t really recognize it in the passive state it’s in now. I know it’s here because it’s been harder to suppress the demon in me.”

She closes her eyes, and lets the magic transform her into the form of a demonic woman, her teeth sporting sharp fangs, leathery wings erupting from her back. She stood before Twilight in this form. “This is what I fight every day, what I keep locked way deep inside of me. The magic here is drawing it closer to the surface every day. But, I can defeat it, keep it controlled.” She once again closes her eyes and returns to her usual form.

Twilight gasps, her inner scientist practically exploding at the thought of how it must feel for such changes to occur. Then she thinks about Midnight again, and asks "Is that going to happen to me too?"

“No, Twilight,” Sunset said, smiling. “You see, there’s an even more powerful magic keeping you from becoming Midnight Sparkle again. It’s around you every day, and it won’t let anything harm you or let you harm anyone. It’s what keeps my demon controlled, too. It’s called, ‘friendship.’” She extends her hand to Twilight. “Please, let’s go back to camp. Your friends are worried about you.”

Twilight takes Sunset's hand and smiles. "Yeah, okay. Let's go."

* * *

"You know, Gem, I honestly thought getting away from school would keep the weird stuff from happening," Raven said to Gem, as the two of them left the main area of camp toward another part of the woods. "I mean, I like saving the day and being an action hero as much as the next girl, but all this magic stuff... it's driving me nuts!"

"I know what you mean," Gem agreed. "I hadn't imagined, when I chose CHS after Trottingham Prep kicked me out, that I'd wind up spending every school year fighting some new monster or other. However..." She smiled and squeezed Raven's hand. "If it wasn't for all this magic stuff, as you so eloquently put it, we wouldn't be together."

“Okay, so magic isn’t all bad,” Raven giggled, walking closer to Gem. “Still, I wish it would just let us have a normal outing for once.” She scanned along and around the trail. “Hey, let’s check out that little outcropping there. I’ll bet there’s a nice view of the camp and the valley from there.”

"Yes, let's do!" Gem says happily, and she moves on ahead. As she does, she trips over a tree root and gasps in pain. "Owwwwwww!"

"Are you alright?" Raven asks. "Can you stand?"

"I don't think so," Gem says, looking shaken. "I think I might've sprained my ankle..." But that turns out to be the least of her problems. The ground shakes abruptly and a fissure opens between the two girls, sending Gem falling fifty feet downward to a terrible death. All of a sudden however, a blue sphere appears around her, and she slows down to a stop in midair. Gem looks around in surprise. "Did I do that?!"

Raven sees Gem disappear from view as the ground disappears. “Hang on, Gem!” she cries, running toward the edge of the new cliff. Ears, wings, and a tail sprout from her as she leaps into the air and dives down toward Gem, scooping her up and carrying her higher into the sky. Raven shakes her head. “Hey, how did you stop falling like that?” She looks around, and at herself. “Wait, how am I FLYING?” she cries out, swooping through the sky before coming back down to earth, landing a safe distance from the new cliff.

"I don't know, but it was amazing!" Gem says, hugging Raven tight. "We're not the only ones though... Twilight can levitate things with her hands now, I watched her do it yesterday. She doesn't want to use magic though... I think she's afraid of turning evil again, like during the Games."

“But that’s silly,” Raven replied. “Sunset uses her magic all the time, and she doesn’t turn into a rampaging she-demon each time she uses it. No offense to Sunset, of course.”

* * *

Sunset blurts out, “None taken.”

Twilight looks at Sunset, “Who are you talking to?”

Sunset blushes and grins. “You’ll find out soon enough, trust me.”

* * *

Gem nods, "That's what I've been trying to tell Twilight, but no luck... I can't say I blame her though. After all, she's not an Equestrian like Sunset and the Dazzlings, she's just a normal human like you and I. I'd be pretty scared too if I were in her shoes." She thinks for a moment. "Can you carry me back to camp? Since I can't really walk at the moment?" Her ankle was already starting to swell a bit.

Raven lifts Gem easily, cradling Gem in her arms. “Even more surprisingly, yes I can.” The two follow the path back toward the main camp.

* * *

Emerald and Adagio are working on repairing the dock. “Y’know, maybe I should get into the construction trades after this. I wonder if I can use this as practical experience.”

Adagio smiled. “I think they may want more than building a simple little dock, Em.”

A short distance away, a group of campers were playing softball. One camper hit a hard line drive, the ball streaking straight for Adagio’s head. “Dagi, duck!” Emerald shouted, extending a hand and throwing up a gleaming green shield around them. The ball bounced off the shield and rolled harmlessly along the grass.

Emerald stared at her hands in surprise, looking at them from every angle. "How'd I do that?" she asked, in an awed voice. "I've never done that before! This is cool!" She runs off toward the tents, shouting "Hey Sparks! Check out what I just did!"

Sunset and Twilight looked at each other. “I think my theory is correct, there’s strong magic here and it’s channeling into all of us.” They watched as Raven casually strolled by with Gem cradled in her arms. “I wonder if anyone else has had similar experiences.”

* * *

Sonata was busy in the camp kitchen baking cookies. She turned, and her arm hit a measuring cup full of water, which spilled all over the worktable. Sighing, she went to the stockroom to get some more paper towels. She struggled to reach the shelf they were eon, and finally gave up. “I wish someone could help me,” she said.

A roll of paper towels landed in her arms, and a small bird landed on her finger. “Oh .. thank you very much,” she said.

The bird chirped in reply.

“Why sure, I can get you something to ea—wait a minute. Did I just understand what you … said?” Sonata asked, puzzled. The bird chirped again.

“But … I don’t speak ‘chirp,’” Sonata protested. The bird chirped again.

“No, don’t call your friends in to...” A great flapping of wings and assorted bird sounds filled the air. Sonata soon found herself holding several types of birds on her arm.

“Um … nice to meet you, too,” she said to her new flock.

"Were you just talking to the birds?" Aria says, coming out of the bathroom.

Sonata nods. "Yeah, why?"

Aria shrugs. "I guess all those tacos you've been eating have finally made you crazy." Rumbles of thunder fill the air as clouds begin to gather outside. Campers ran for cover as towering thunderheads began to build over the camp. The occasional flash of lightning split the sky, followed soon after by the deep rumble of thunder.

Aria ran outside and stared at the darkening sky. “OH no. I have NOT had a moment to enjoy the nice days around here, and I’m not gonna let some stupid storm ruin my afternoon plans!” Aria stared at the clouds, and her hands began to glow. She pointed them at the clouds, and a bolt of light struck them, dissipating them and returning the clear, blue sky one again.

Stunned by what just happened, Aria soon recovered and a smirk crossed her face. “Yeah! Take THAT, storm clouds!”

"That was an awfully quick thunderstorm," Adagio observed as she passed Aria. She held a few pages of sheet music in her hands and was trying to sing. "I didn't know there was one forecast."

"There wasn't," Aria replied. "I made it myself. I guess." She shrugged and put on a pair of sunglasses then went off to go work on her tan by the lake, leaving Adagio to her music practice.

Vinyl and Octavia catch wind of Adagio's singing, and Vinyl says "Hey Dagi, want some musical accompaniment? Tavi brought her cello and I have my keyboard!"

“Yeah, that would be nice!” Adagio said, and the three soon were set up. “Say, could you two run through some scales? I … seem to have fallen out of practice recently.”

“Think nothing of it,” Octavia replied. “Let’s start with the C scale and work our way up. Does that sound okay?”

“I think that would be perfect,” Adagio said, taking a sip of water.

Octavia nods and puts bow to string, playing a low C note. Adagio sings along, rising higher and higher in time with Octavia's cello. As she sings, Snips is a few feet away, busily bullying Glittershell, when he is hit in the face by a large object. "OW! What was that?!"

By the time Adagio reaches high C on the scale, Snips is on the ground, covering up, pleading, “Please, stop! I’ll leave her alone! I promise!!”

Adagio smirks and moves over to Snips, running a finger down his cheek. "That's good to know," she informs him. "After all, you wouldn't want me to eat your soul for dinner, now would you?" Snips' reply is to run off toward his tent as fast as possible.

* * *

“So, here’s what we know so far,” Sunset said to everyone gathered in the mess tent. “Gem can freeze time, Raven can fly and has super speed and strength, Sonata can talk to animals, Aria can control the weather, Emerald can whip up a shield at will, Adagio uses sound as a weapon, I still haven’t found my power yet, and Twilight--” Twilight shook her head vigorously. “-- still doesn’t want to use her powers yet.”

“But what good is talking to animals? Everyone else has such cool stuff,” Sonata pouted.

“Your skill can be important, too, Sonata,” Sunset said, touching Sonata’s shoulder. As she did so, Sunset’s eyes went bright white. In her mind, Sunset saw a vision. Tacos. Everywhere you looked, tacos danced and sang merrily while a mariachi band played. And, skipping down a guacamole-green pathway, was Sonata, grinning from ear to ear.

Breaking the contact, Sunset’s eyes returned to normal. “What happened, Sunny?” Sonata asked.

“I just saw your very thoughts,” Sunset said in a weak voice. “Actually, that explains a lot.”

"So you're a mind reader!" Gem gasps. "How exciting!" Her lower leg is now braced and splinted so she can walk again. "The only question is, why are we even getting these powers in the first place?"

"There's Equestrian magic here, too," Sunset says. "I don't know how it got here or when, but trust me, I know it like the back of my hand." Outside, a limousine pulls into the main area. Timber pokes his head into the tent. "Have you girls seen Gloriosa anywhere? Filthy Rich just pulled up with a bunch of guys!"

The eight go to the window to watch. “He’s up to something,” Raven says, “and I wish I knew what it was.”

“No, Timber, we haven’t seen Gloriosa lately. But, what’s going on with Filthy Rich and her anyway?” Sunset asked.

"He wants to buy up the land and turn it into a spa resort," Timber explains. "Gloriosa's been stalling the last few months, but she's running out of time and money. If we don't get more by Saturday, the whole place goes to him."

Gem frowns deeply and crosses her arms. "Not if I can help it!" She gets to her feet and makes her way outside, looking determined.

Timber blinks. "What can she possibly do to help?"

Raven chuckles. "Let's just say she has very deep pockets and isn't afraid to use them."

Filthy Rich is directing the crew that arrived with him. “Okay boys, get to surveying the land, I want as detailed a map as we can get before Saturday, and--” He sees Gem striding toward him as fast as her injured leg would take her. “Well well, if it isn’t Azul’s little brat. Whatsa matter, sick of holing up in that opulent mansion of yours?” he sneered.

"Actually, I'm here on a school trip with my friends," Gem replies, gazing up into Filthy Rich's eyes with a look of pure disgust on her face. "You're one to talk about opulence, Mr. Rich. Don't you live in a tall tower in the middle of Manehattan with your name on the roof in gold letters?"

“Oh, you mean my summer home,” Filthy said with a chuckle. “Coulda had one in Trottingham, too, had your goody-goody dad not had the council block my zoning change request!” He looked down at Gem. “So, here to harass me on general principle, or do you have a more specific mission in mind?”

Gem gives him a devious little smile that Adagio and Sunset would be proud of. "I'm so glad you asked, Mr. Rich. I've just been informed you intend on evicting Gloriosa and Timber from their rightful property so you can build a spa instead. Because who really needs scenic views, fresh air, and beautiful forests anyway? Or outdoor fun and games? Or the beauty of nature?" She takes out her phone. "You aren't the only one with deep pockets, Mr. Rich. And I'm going to use mine to put an end to this plan of yours once and for all. And then, I'm going to spread the word on social media, so that everyone in the entire world, including all of your company's shareholders, will know that the Great and Powerful Filthy Rich was beaten at his own game by a teenage girl." She grins. "Do we understand each other?"

Filthy Rich laughed. “Oh, you so take after your father. He’s such an annoying little gasbag, too. Listen girlie, the battle’s lost already, and the war is almost over. You don’t stand a chance to get this camp out from under my control. These losers owe so much there’s no way anyone can wire enough money down to cover everything, especially with the limits on wire transfers these days. So, why don’t you and your little friends enjoy your last days at this rickety old camp, and if you all behave, I’ll give you passes to our grand opening. Now, if you excuse me, I have a spa to lay out.”

"And I have a plan to put into action!" Gem shouts, turning around and walking back the way she came. She dials her father's number. "Dad? It's me..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> C: I would say this is probably our best work at adapting one of the movies, after “Song of the Sirens.” We didn’t use too many of the original magical abilities fostered upon the girls, and came up with new ones to put in their place. Another bit I like: the subplot regarding Sunset’s and Twilight’s she-demon forms. I’m honestly amazed Movie Sunset didn’t think of comparing their experiences like this, so I’m glad our Sunset did. And of course, we can’t forget the struggle of Gem and Filthy Rich, who are a study in contrasts. Filthy Rich uses his money to support himself and his interests, Gem uses hers (and powerful family connections) to support others. That characteristic will become very important as she grows into adulthood.
> 
> L: The nice thing about doing stories like this is it allows us to explore avenues that the original movie didn’t, or couldn’t, such as the scene with Twi and Sunset discussing their magic. We also got to pit the philanthropist (Gem) against the industrialist (Filthy Rich). We took very little dialog from the movie this time, thank goodness.


	8. The Legend of Everfree: Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gloriosa puts her plan to save the camp into action, while Gem comes up with an idea to stop Filthy Rich.

After getting off the phone with her father, Gem heads back toward her tent to rest a bit. On her way over, she catches a few fragments of conversation.

“I just wish you didn't tell them that ridiculous story!” Gloriosa said angrily.

“This is all too much for you! You have to let it go!” Timber replied, equally angry.

“Let what go?” Gem wondered to herself. “He can’t be talking about the camp, surely…” Then there were footsteps, and Gloriosa herself came striding out the door of the kitchen cabin, looking furious. The door hit Gem in the head, making her gasp in pain. “OW!”

“Gemini Shadow?!” asked Gloriosa in surprise. “What were you doing behind that door?”

“Oh, nothing in particular,” Gem lied.

Gloriosa looked to the brace Gem was still wearing. “Is your ankle okay? Do you need any aspirin? ‘Cause if you do, I’ve got this!” She grinned widely.

Gem shook her head. “Everything’s under control, Ms. Daisy. I’ll just be off then, shall I?” She walked away, hiding behind a nearby tree. Believing she was alone, Gloriosa headed off in the direction of the rock quarry, where the campers were forbidden to go.

Gem snapped her fingers. “She’s definitely up to something,” she muttered, and took out her phone, firing off a quick text to Twilight: “Rock quarry. Come at once if convenient. If inconvenient, come anyway. Bring Sunset. -GS”

* * *

Twilight and Sunset were busy putting final touches on the dock, as it happened. Twilight’s phone buzzed, and she quickly took it out to check the screen. “It’s from Gem,” she said to Sunset. “She says to meet her by the rock quarry.”

“I though we weren't supposed to hike out that far,” Sunset said, frowning.

Twilight nods, “We’re not, but knowing Gem, this is probably really important!” And so off they went.

* * *

A few minutes later, the three girls walked (or limped, in Gem’s case) to the gravel quarry. As they approached a cave, the three could see a glowing purple light coming from within, though the entry was blocked by a couple of boulders.

“What's going on down there?” Twilight asks.

“I think it's Gaea Everfree,” said Sunset.

“Or rather, someone who wants us to think she's back,” Gem says, taking out her magic screwdriver and pushing the button. The screwdriver made a high-pitched buzzing noise and surrounded the rocks in a green energy field, letting Gem move them just enough to allow them entrance. What they found was a large cavern filled with glowing lights.

“This place is beautiful,” said Twilight, as they entered.

Sunset nodded. “There's Equestrian magic here. I can... I can feel it.”

“The only question is,” Gem said, “How did it get here? And when? And why?” She eyed a white crystalline structure in the center of the room, where there sat 4 geodes on a flat surface, though there was space for eight. 

“That’s for me to know, and for you to never find out,” came a voice from behind them. Gloriosa stepped out of the shadows, her voice flat and quiet.

Gem leveled her screwdriver at her. “I don’t think so,” she said coolly. “Magic is rather our business, Gloriosa. We know you’re having problems keeping the park funded, but what has Equestrian magic got to do with it? This isn’t making any sense!”

“Like I said, this isn’t for you to find out,” Gloriosa said, grabbing Gem’s screwdriver and tucking it into a pocket of her skirt. “My idiot brother already let slip that you talked to Filthy Rich. You should not have interfered.”

“Interfering is slightly our M.O.,” Gem said loudly. “Besides! I felt I had to! I would never stand idly by and let someone take a place like this away! Not Filthy Rich, and certainly not you, with that ridiculous story about Gaea Everfree!”

“I would never try to scare anyone away from Camp Everfree,” Gloriosa shot back. “I’m trying to SAVE Camp Everfree!”

It was then that Gem noticed the necklace around Gloriosa’s neck. Suddenly, it all clicked. “Timber wasn’t asking you to let go of the camp, he was asking you to let go of those magical crystals!”

“All those things you were doing to make this week of camp the best week ever … but every time you used magic to do them, you caused another problem somewhere else!” Sunset added.

“Gloriosa, Timber wasn’t wrong,” Twilight pleaded. “Maybe you should stop using the magic. Too much of it can be dangerous if you can’t control it.”

"Oh, I got this," Gloriosa said, smirking. "And I'm going to use it to save my camp. I just need more power!" She took the remaining crystals and put them around her neck to join the others. Instantly she began to transform, becoming more plant-like than human. "Sorry, girls. I know what I need to do. But I feel like we're not on the same page. So..." She waved her fingers, and the three were ensnared in vines and tree roots.

"GLORIOSA!" they shouted in unison. "You idiot!" Gem yelled. "You're making the biggest mistake of your life! You can't control this power half as well as you think you can, you're going to get people killed!"

Gloriosa said nothing as she floated out of the cave.

* * *

Out by the lake, the Dazzlings, Emerald, and Raven were waiting for word from Gem. “I’m getting worried,” Raven said, “it feels like something bad is about to happen.”

Adagio pats Raven’s shoulder. “Relax, I’m sure Gem can take care of herself, and if there was any trouble, Sunnny or Twi would be back to get us. I kinda doubt that….” Her voice trailed off as she stared at the treeline.

“Kinda doubt what, Dagi?” Sonata asked. She turned to see what Adagio was looking at. “Oh my goodness...”

Gloriosa, now Gaea Everfree, floated toward the assembled and now-scared crowd. “Attention, campers!” she bellowed in a resonant voice.

Timber ran up to join the campers. “Gloriosa?! What are you doing?!”

“-That’s- Gloriosa?” Aria said, pointing. “Am I going crazy or are her feet not touching the ground?”

“Oh, this won’t end well,” Emerald said, shaking her head.

“I have an announcement to make!” Gaea bellowed. “Filthy Rich wants this to be the last session of Camp Everfree. But don’t worry … I’VE GOT THIS!!” With a wave of her hands, the entire camp is surrounded by a thick wall of brambles and tanglevines. Some of these smash through the new dock.

Aria facepalms. “Oh, come on, we literally just finished building that!!”

Gloriosa flew around the area, singing a song about protecting the camp. In no time at all, the entire area was hidden behind a large dome made from tightly woven brambles.

Sonata sighed. "Why do these things always have to happen to us?"

"What are we going to do?" Emerald asked.

Raven smiled. "What we always do, girls! Save the day!" And so, the remaining Rubies tried their best to fight back, but it was no use, Gaea's magic was too strong.

* * *

Gem, Sunset, and Twilight were on the other side of the dome. "Twilight, you've got to use your magic!" Gem was saying. "You can use your magic to pull the brambles apart!"

"But I can't!" Twilight insisted. "Midnight Sparkle will take over!"

“Twilight, our friends are in there!” Sunset said, exasperated.

“Okay,” Twilight sighs. She extends her hands as Sunset does the same. Soon, a large hole appears and spreads, allowing the three to walk into the camp.

"Please, Gloriosa! What you're doing is crazy! You have to listen to me!" Timber Spruce was shouting.

"That isn't Gloriosa!" Gem and Sunset yell together. Sunset adds, "That isn't your sister. It's someone who's been consumed by Equestrian magic, just like Twilight and I were once!"

Gem points at the dome. "We have to destroy that thing, and we have to do it soon!" She takes Twilight's hands in hers. "I know you're frightened, but you have to remember: Midnight can't take control as long as you remember who you really are... right here." She taps the place where Twilight's heart is.

Gaea angrily throws a beam of magic at the group. Emerald, reacting quickly, throws a shield around them, resisting the power of Gaea’s beam. “Sparks, I can’t do this forever!” Emerald says in a strained voice.

Twilight looks at Sunset. “I’m still scared...what if she takes over? What if, instead of saving everyone, I turn into Midnight Sparkle and make things worse?”

“That won’t happen,” Sunset replied, smiling. “We won’t let it.”

The shield starts to crack as Sunset and Twilight direct their magic toward it and at Gaea. Twilight starts to falter under the power of Gaea’s beam.

“Come on, Twilight, don’t hold back! You have to be stronger than she is!” Sunset cried. Her eyes glowing white, Twilight let the full force of her magic flow, until she found herself in a void, facing Midnight Sparkle once again.

"You will never control me! I will always be a part of you!" Midnight shouts, smiling evilly. She pulls Twilight over and the two begin to merge into one.

 "Twilight, listen to me! You are in charge!" Sunset's voice shouts, pulling Twilight back.

"You are a light, dear, a force for good!" Gem adds.

"Yeah! You can kick the darkness's butt!" says Raven.

The others make similar statements of support, and last of all is Emerald, who places her hand on Twilight's shoulder. "A long time ago, a lonely scientist saved a girl she barely knew from making a terrible mistake... a mistake that would've ended her life." Emerald smiles. "You are the most beautiful girl in the entire world, Twilight Sparkle... and more powerful than any evil creature of darkness." She kisses Twilight full on the lips. "No matter what happens, we're here for you... Gem, Sunny, Raven, the Dazzlings, and especially me... we're not leaving you behind, Sparks."

"I... am... Twilight Sparkle! And the magic I carry inside me is... the Magic of Friendship!" Twilight yells, and there is a tremendous explosion as the bramble dome is completely destroyed.

“NO!!!!” Gaea cries out as the magic wave washes over her, knocking her to the ground. The necklace containing the crystals is torn from her neck, and the crystals each seek out one of the eight, forming into a pendant with a special marking on them and fastening themselves around the girls’ necks.

The other campers cheer as the bramble dome is destroyed and sunlight once again bathes the campground in its warmth and light. Timber runs over to his sister, now laying on the ground, barely conscious. He touches her shoulder. “Gloriosa?”

“Wha….what happened?” she asks, wearily.

“It’s okay. It’s gonna be okay,” Timber says, pulling Gloriosa into a hug.

Adagio studies her new necklace. “What are these?” she asks.

Sunset shrugs. “I’m not sure, but it seems we have some sort of connection to them.” She looks down at hers. “My cutie mark! It’s been so long since I’ve seen it, I almost forgot what it was...”

Emerald goes over and wraps Twilight up in a hug. "See, what did I tell you? You're stronger than Midnight ever could be! I'm so proud of you!"

Timber helps Gloriosa to her feet. “I am so sorry,” she says to everyone. I only wanted this to be the best week that Camp Everfree has ever had. Maybe it’s for the best that I’m losing the camp to Filthy Rich.”

Celestia and Luna each put an arm around Gloriosa. “No, it’s not,” Celestia says. “This camp has meant so much to so many people, my sister and I included.”

Luna nods. “Why do you think we wanted our students to come here?”

A limousine pulls into the camp, and out steps … not Filthy Rich, but Azul Shadow. He looks around the camp and at the campers, smiling as he sees his daughter. “Gem! I’m sorry I couldn’t have been here sooner, but I had to make sure everything was in order before I came.”

"Father!" Gem beams and embraces him, smiling. "Thank goodness you came, I was starting to wonder!" She's ponied up by now, and she has a new outfit . She draws attention to neither of those things however, focusing her attention entirely on the adults. "Gloriosa, this is my father, Azul Shadow. I do believe he's just solved your money problems!"

“But … but how?” Timber stammered.

“Remember what I said about deep pockets?” Raven said with a grin. “You’re looking at ‘em.”

“Miss Daisy,” Azul began, addressing Gloriosa, “my daughter, Gemini, told me about the trouble you were having at the hands of one Mister Rich, and how much this place meant to you and to all those that have come here. Essentially, what I’ve done is set up a small conservatorship in your name, and had myself appointed as your legal representative in all business dealings for the time being. This allowed me to pay off the mortgage in full and block Rich from buying it from the bank.” He takes a paper from the inside of his suit jacket. “This paper grants me the power I just spoke about, with the proviso that it expires two days from now and full control reverts back to you, and your family, present and future, in perpetuity. Meaning, no one will ever be able to take Camp Everfree away from you. I just need your signature to make it official.”

"You've got it!" Gloriosa says happily, taking the paper and signing it with a flourish, as does Timber. "Thank you so much! How can we ever repay you?"

"By continuing to be the wonderful camp director you are," Gem says, smiling. "This really has been the best week of camp I've ever had, and it's all thanks to you." Then she thinks. “Just... leave the magic to us from now on, okay? The last thing we need is someone else turning into a raging she-demon." She looks over at Sunset and Twilight. "No offense."

Sunset and Twilight giggle. “None taken,” they say in unison.

Another limousine pulls into the camp. Filthy Rich emerges from the back and immediately begins stomping toward Azul and Gloriosa.

“He looks peeved,” Sonata deadpans.

“Shadow, I knew this had your fingerprints all over it!” Rich bellowed. “I don’t know what kind of sneaky, underhanded trickery you and your goody-goody girlie pulled, but rest assurd, you haven’t heard the last of me!”

Gloriosa stepped forward. “Mister Shadow was legally appointed by us to represent our interests. He has done so in a most spectacular fashion, and his daughter has been an immense source of help to us as well.” She narrows her eyes. “Making threats against our business partner is uncalled for, and unwelcome on our property. You, sir, are no longer welcome here, and I am asking you politely to leave. Now.”

"Or we'll make you," Gem replies calmly, as the other seven girls nod in unison.

Rich growls. "I'll get you for this, Shadow... just you wait!" He stomps into his limousine and off it goes, leaving behind a thick cloud of black smoke.

* * *

As the girls head back to their tents for the night, Gem looks over to Sunset. "Twilight mentioned you've been fighting off your demon self... she even says she saw you change. Do you think it could be a problem?"

Sunset sighed. “I’ve been fighting this demon ever since the night of the Fall Formal,” she said sadly. “Every day it torments me, taunts me, tells me that we will never be separated from each other. But, the one thing I realized, and the one thing I told Twilight about dealing with Midnight, is that as long as we have friends that are willing to stand with us and keep us on the path of good, our demons will never again have full control over us.”

Gem nods, giving Sunset a hug. "That's the spirit."

* * *

After the end of a week filled with fun and adventure, the eight friends board the bus to take them back to Canterlot. As she climbs aboard, Gem eyes Longhaul. "Was that you and Luna I saw stargazing on the hill the other night?" she asks, giving him a knowing smile.

“Vice-Principal Luna and I were simply engaged in an astronomical symposium that evening, and besides, it is against school policy for employees to fraternize with the supervisory staff.,” Longhaul replied. He nodded his head once. “That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”

Gem just smirks more. "Whatever you say," she says, as Raven comes to sit beside her. They kiss.

"You know something, Emmy? Last night was the first night in weeks where I didn't dream about... her," Twilight says.

Emerald smiles. "That's good to know! Now we just have to get some food in you so you'll stop looking like a pile of purple sticks."

“Hey, I eat!” Twilight says, mock-offended. “I just have a rapid metabolism … unlike some girls I know,” she said, jiggling Emerald’s tummy.

Aria rolls her eyes. “Nice to see things getting back to normal,” she says snarkily.

“Since when has ‘normal’ ever been associated with us?” Sonata replied. Adagio laughed while Aria stared at Sonata, stunned. Sonata shrugged. “What? Is Aria the only one allowed to be snarky and edgy around here?”

"I guess I'm just used to you being a taco-obsessed airhead," Aria replies, once she has recovered herself.

Sonata crosses her arms. "Oh yeah?! Well, at least I don't cause random rainstorms to appear whenever I get mad!"

"Only because you wouldn't stop your squirrel friends from eating the contents of my underwear drawer!" Aria shoots back.

Adagio smirks over at Sunset. "Talk about music to our ears." The argument continues for the remainder of the bus ride home.

Parked at the rear of the school the students disembark from the bus, gathering their bags and chatting amongst themselves as Celestia and Luna supervise. Adagio and Sunset leave the bus together, both of them admiring their necklaces. “One thing I’m curious about,” Adagio says, “if these contain Equestrian magic, how is it getting into this world?”

Sunset stops and thinks. “You know … I honestly have no idea.”

"That's a good question," Gem agrees as she joins them, taking out her own necklace and holding the charm between two fingers. "Maybe we should check the portal for any damage? I mean, Midnight did kind of blow up the horse, and I don't think they've repaired it yet."

“Yeah, good idea,” Sunset says, stifling a yawn. “Although, I’m sure it can wait for another day, I just wanna go home and rest.”

Adagio agrees, nodding. “Sounds like a plan to me.” The three walk away together.

Meanwhile, at the front of the school, the base of the horse statue stands as sturdy as ever. If one were to inspect further, they would see tiny cracks in the top of the platform where the statue would be standing. Every so often, a small burst of bright magic would sneak through the crack and make its way through the human world.


	9. Have To Believe We Are Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Equestrian magic is leaking into the human world, and Gem and her friends, together with Carrie and Corvus, must work together to stop the magic from overwhelming the portal. Meanwhile, Sunset and Twilight continue to battle their inner demons.

In her room at Shadowfall Manor, Gemini Shadow held the small, pocketwatch-shaped amulet between her fingertips, moving the chain around so the charm spun in the air. Then, with barely a thought, it acquired a dark blue glow and floated onto her neck, with the charm resting just above her breasts. Magical power thrummed through her body like blood, allowing her to levitate various books and knick-knacks around the room with a snap of her fingers, and send them spinning around in the air with a few waves of her hands, before letting them rest again. This was power unlike anything she had ever felt before, and it fascinated her.

The truth was, Gem had been using pony magic for a while now, ever since the Fall Formal, when she ponied up for the first time. But that had been different, since it was only accessible through the magic screwdriver she’d found. The rest of her was completely unchanged. Take away the screwdriver, and she was an ordinary teenage girl.

But the Camp Everfree trip had transformed her completely, in more ways than one. The camp had done something to bring out her magical abilities, meaning she didn’t need to use her screwdriver as a conduit anymore. Instead, she could simply use her hands. But even that had been nothing compared to the feeling that surged through her when the amulet first touched her skin and bonded with her. Gem knew, subconsciously, that she was far from an ordinary girl now.

Her reverie was broken by a knock on her door. “Gem? Are you still up?” Raven Sable asked.

“Yes, I’m still up,” Gem called back. She snapped her fingers, and the door opened of its own accord. “Were you looking for me?”

“Maybe,” Raven smirked, walking into the room. “Whatcha doin’?”

“Testing my magic,” Gem replied, smiling. “Watch!” She waved her hands over her pajamas, and they shimmered, transforming into a beautiful ball gown.

Raven oohed, impressed. “Look at that! You made yourself look like a real live princess!”

“Only because I have you here with me,” Gem said, sitting beside her girlfriend. “I was just thinking… we’re not exactly normal girls anymore. Most teenage girls can’t levitate objects around the room at will, or manipulate the flow of time itself.” To demonstrate, she knocked over her bedside lamp, sending it crashing to the floor. With a wave of her hands though, the lamp pulled itself back together and flew up onto the bedside table again, completely undamaged.

“True,” Raven concurred. “I mean, I can fly now. I don’t even have to think about it, my wings just pop out as soon as I’m in the air, and disappear when I’m done. Usually I use it to play pranks on Corvus, but hey! It’s fun.” She wraps her arms around Gem’s waist, pulling her close. “All I gotta say is, I love my new powers, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything.”

“Nor would I,” Gem agreed, nuzzling Raven’s cheek. “I wonder how the rest of the girls are doing…” 

* * *

Sonata crosses her arms and shouts "ARIA, QUIT RAINING ON MY TACO PARADE!” Sure enough, a parade of floating tacos was marching its way around the house Sunset shared with the Dazzlings. Every so often, Sonata would pick one up and eat it.

"NOT UNTIL YOU TELL YOUR SQUIRREL FRIENDS TO STOP STORING NUTS IN MY UNDERWEAR DRAWER!!" Aria retorted. “I’M TIRED OF MY VAGINA SMELLING LIKE ACORNS!”

“Girls, please,” Adagio half-shouted, “I am trying to compose!”

“What’s Sunset doing?” Aria asked abruptly, pointing a magenta finger at their bacon-haired hostess.

Sunset, it turned out, was sitting on the floor attempting to mind-meld with a stray cat Sonata had brought home with her. “My thoughts to your thoughts…” she intoned. There was a few seconds where Sunset simply sat there, still as a statue. Then she blinked. “Whoa…”

“What did you see?” Adagio asked.

Sunset looked up, amazed. “That cat really likes lasagna. He was dreaming about swimming in a pool of it.”

Adagio hummed thoughtfully. “Fascinating…”

* * *

Twilight held up three microscope slides in the palm of her hand, each with an identical strand of hair laying beneath them. “You see Emerald, I have reason to believe the magic at Camp Everfree has changed us completely!” she exclaimed. “And to find out, I’m going to inspect these two hairs!”

Emerald blinked and pushed her glasses up her nose with one finger. “And what will that tell you?”

“It should allow us to see what about our bodies has changed since being introduced to magic,” Twilight explained, pointing to a whiteboard filled with complex looking diagrams and equations. “That way, we can have a better understanding of what being a magically-augmented human means!”

“Sheesh Sparks, way to make us sound like X-Men rejects,” Emerald teased, sticking out her tongue.

Twilight scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous! This is real life, not a comic book! I can promise you that our findings will change the field of biology as we know it! Entire textbooks will have to be rewritten from the ground up just to accommodate us! Why, we could even be the next step in human evolution!”

“I think you’re getting ahead of yourself,” Emerald pointed out, “But alright.” She flicked on Twilight’s microscope. “Where’d you get these hairs, anyway?”

“Myself, of course,” Twilight explained. “But at different times. That way, I’ll be able to know for sure what’s changed. I also have some strands of hair from my royal counterpart, so I’ll know what the changes mean.”

Twilight put each of the hairs under the lens, peered carefully, and sketched out what she saw, pinning the results to some corkboard. “You see this?” she said, pointing at the middle drawing of the three. “This strand here contains nearly all human DNA, but at certain points, we can see traces of pony DNA, though those parts only activate when we pony up or when we use our powers.” Several random objects floated around her head as she spoke.

Emerald raised a hand. “So if we have kids, they won’t be born with pony ears or anything?”

Twilight blushed. “We’ll worry about that when we’re older.”

* * *

The next few days following the week at Camp Everfree were quite interesting for all concerned. As work began on repairing the damage done to the Wondercolts statue, the eight friends found themselves using their new powers multiple times a day to assist the students. Gem used her time manipulation powers to freeze time so Raven could finish studying for a test, Raven used her powers of flight in a basketball game after school but got told off by Coach Spitfire, Sunset used her mind-reading power to console Glittershell after something of hers had been taken, Adagio drove off Flash Sentry by singing at him, Aria made it rain so Treehugger could finish her biology project, and Sonata got various woodland animals to prepare tacos and other Mexican dishes for her at lunch when the cafeteria refused to serve them to her anymore.

What none of the girls could have anticipated was that their blatant magic use would lead to severe consequences. This was because no one really paid much attention to the horse statue in front of Canterlot High School. After all, it had been there pretty much since the school first opened many years ago. Standing by the main entrance, the rearing horse welcomed students and staff alike to the hallowed halls of dear old CHS.

Even after the events of the Fall Formal, where Sunset Shimmer had brought her reign of terror to a dramatic and dire conclusion, revealing that the statue was more than it appeared – a gateway to another universe – nobody really paid it much notice. After all, it was still the same old statue they had seen countless times before.

The statue didn’t fare too well during the Friendship Games, with the horse being completely destroyed in the magical rampage of one Midnight Sparkle. The platform now stood empty, awaiting the replacement. Small cracks had developed at the top, where the horse once stood, unnoticed to everyone. Every so often, a small amount of magical energy would seep through these cracks and be released into this largely non-magical world. Or at least, it  _was_ non-magical.

The changes started simply enough. Every now and again, a student would find their natural talents increased a hundredfold, but for a short amount of time. Octavia Melody would experience this first-hand, while struggling to learn a difficult cello piece. Raising her bow, she was infused with one of the errant bursts of magic, and could not only play the piece note-perfect, but with a passion and intensity she had never experienced before.

Word started to spread around the school, telling tales of strange goings-on. About how Vice-Principal Luna stopped two students from fighting by simply raising her hand, from which a brilliant burst of energy separated and stunned the two combatants. How Derpy single-handedly baked forty-two dozen muffins for the school fundraiser bake sale, and sold them all once word got around as to how simply delicious they were. And about how Lyra Heartstrings, for one brief moment, turned into a pony, much to the shock and amusement of her close friend Sweetie Drops, who naturally snapped a picture before Lyra changed back. But that was nothing compared to what Gemini and her friends experienced: the magic in their bodies was so strong that whenever a burst of magic hit, all of them would grow pony ears and tails, and in the case of Twilight and Raven, wings.

The random bursts of magic had not gone unnoticed by school staff. A week or two after the Camp Everfree trip, during which the denizens of CHS had been attacked by a plant-obsessed raging she-demon calling herself Gaea Everfree, Vice Principal Luna called eight particular young women into her office one day after classes ended.

“As you are no doubt aware,” Luna began, “Our school has been the target of various… shall we say, disturbances over the years, of a foreign nature. Recently, several of your fellow classmates have reported getting brief, but very significant, boosts of energy and intelligence. You eight have developed equine accouterments in addition to experiencing the boosts. Do you have any idea what’s causing them?”

Sunset put up her hand. “I do, Miss Luna. Twilight… that is, the Twilight from my world, thinks that destroying the horse statue has caused the boundary separating Equestria and this world to thin. She thinks that unless something is done soon, these bursts could turn into a flood that might overwhelm the portal completely.” There was a pause. “That’s not the only thing that’s been going on…”

“What do you mean, Sunset?” asked Gem, looking over at her friend with her brow furrowed and a frown on her face. “Are you having bad dreams too? Like Twilight did during camp?”

Sunset nodded. “All the time now… and that’s not all.” She closes her eyes and begins to transform, her skin darkening to a deep red as fangs poke out beneath her top lip. Her ears become pointed, her hands like claws, and demonic-looking wings sprout from her back. “I’ve felt her lurking beneath the surface ever since the Formal, usually I’m able to keep her down, but lately… she’s wanting to take over.”

“That explains why she’s been more aggressive than usual lately,” Twilight said. “I thought it was her menstrual cycle!”

“But can anything be done to curb these leaks before they get any worse?” Luna asked, dragging the conversation back on topic.

Sunset shrugged, turning back to human with great effort. “I don’t know… I hope so.”

“As do I,” Luna says. “Good luck, ladies. I believe you shall need it.” She sent them away to finish some paperwork.

* * *

“Sunset, why didn’t you tell us you were having these problems?” Adagio asked as the eight sat at their usual lunch table.

“Same reason Twilight didn’t say anything at camp,” Sunset sighed. “I guess I was too ashamed of what was happening, after being good for so long and being in control. I guess another part of it was fear.”

"Fear of what?" Gem asked. "That we'd abandon you? Or that you'd be unable to turn back and wind up getting stuck like that?"

Sunset nodded. "Both of those, yeah..." She looked down. "I'm sorry, girls... but having you all here means so much to me... i can't bear to lose you."

"You won't," Gem whispered, pulling Sunset into a hug. "I promise. Our friendship is stronger than any dark magic. It kept Midnight Sparkle away, and it'll keep back your demon self too!" The other girls all nodded in agreement.

Raven checked her phone. "No one has any plans after school, right? I thought we could all meet up at my place and work on how we're gonna solve the whole leaking magic issue."

Gem shook her head, "I'm certainly free, how about you all? Any other commitments that need tending to?"

The girls pulled out their respective electronic devices and checked their calendars.

“Nope.”

“I’m good.”

“Uh uh.”

“I’m open.”

“Same here.”

“Can we get taco delivery? If so, my schedule’s clear.”

Raven rolled her eyes. “Yes, Sonata, we can get taco delivery. Okay, my house after school.” The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch period, and the girls filed out to their respective classes.

* * *

“You never said you had a brother that was so dreamy,” Sonata said, munching on a taco and staring lovingly at Corvus, the designated (by Raven) taco delivery agent.

“We do try to keep it under wraps, better to avoid a stampede of eligible bachelorettes,” Corvus replied, waggling his eyebrows and flexing his muscles a little bit. The rest of the girls simply rolled their eyes while Raven made a gagging motion. “You see, Raven’s little troll-like brain often forgets important details like how god-like her older brother is, so--” A pillow whaps Corvus in the back of his head.

Corvus turns to face Raven, who is acting nonchalant. “How are you hitting me with pillows when we’re here in the kitchen?” he asked.

“I keep a stash around the house in case of idiotic big brother emergencies,” Raven replied, sticking her tongue out. “Now, we need to get this magic leakage thing figured out. Corvus, you’re welcome to offer any ideas that form in that peanut-sized brain of yours.” She smiled sweetly.

Corvus sat down, and looking at Sonata, mouthed the word “genius” while pointing to himself, Sonata giggled.

“Okay, so we know the leaks are coming from the Equestrian side. Sunset, can Princess Twilight do anything about it from her end?” Emerald asked.

Sunset checked her book and eventually shook her head. "Nope, this one is on us... she's busy dealing with the fallout from that changeling fiasco a few weeks ago." She closes the book and sighs. "It's like the Friendship Games all over again, I don't know the first thing about what we can do!"

Aria crossed her arms and frowned. "Some help she is. What's the point in even having that book if the person you're writing to can't be bothered to lift a hoof to help every once and a while? She reminds me of that miserable old goat who banished us here."

"Aria, that's enough," Adagio said warningly. "Princess Twilight is a very busy mare, we can't expect her to just drop everything and come running through the portal whenever there's a problem!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Aria grumbled.

Gem put up her hand. "What if I called Carrie? She, Twilight, and Sunset could probably build something that can be of use to us!"

“I think we can use all the help we can get on this one, so call her,” Raven said, making a note in her notebook. “Until she gets here, does anyone have anything we can do in the short term to at least make the cracks not get bigger?”

“I’m surprised no one thought to seal them with some kind of patch,” Twilight said. “It would seem the simple solution.”

“They did try,” Adagio said, shaking her head. “I saw Longhaul up there with a bucket of spackle. He no sooner spread a layer on then he was blasted back by a strong surge. Blew right through while the spackle was still wet. He said it was like trying to wrap duct tape around a water main break. There’s too much pressure to overcome.”

"I'll tell Carrie to hurry then," Gem says, getting up to go and make the call.

Emerald thinks, pacing around the room and wrapping a stray curl of hair around her finger. "I was thinking... what if we play music?'

"Not a bad idea," Raven considered. "We ponied up when Gem, Sunset, and I were fighting the Dazzlings during the Battle, and I'm sure Vinyl and Octavia would love to perform with everyone. Maybe Lyra too."

“So, maybe we could fight magic with magic,” Sonata added.

Corvus raised a hand. “Sorry to interrupt, but Miss ... Adagio, was it?” Adagio nodded. Corvus continued, “Adagio made an interesting comment. She said that dude likened it to a water main break. Which indicates some form of pressure. Now, Newton’s Second Law states that energy naturally flows from a higher concentration to a lower concentration. In this case, from higher pressure to lower pressure.”

“So, what are you getting at?” Raven asked.

Twilight interrupted. “I see what he’s saying. Since there’s less magic in this universe, the higher concentration of magic in Equestria is pushing its way into this world, like a leak in a pipe.”

“Exactly,” Corvus said, smiling at Twilight. “Although, in this case, it’s more like a swollen river pushing against a dam. The cracks indicate that the pressure is becoming too great to contain.”

“And what happens when that dam bursts?” finishes Aria.

“What will happen eventually is the pressures will equal each other out, or reach equilibrium. But what would that mean for this world … or for Equestria?” Sunset wondered.

"Maybe we'll all turn into centaurs!" Sonata exclaims, throwing her hands up. "That would be awesome!"

"We'll see," Sunset says. "I just hope it isn't too horrible..."

Gem re-enters the room at that moment, looking pleased with herself. "She'll be here by tomorrow morning!" she announces. "Oh, and she says she loves you, Adagio."

Adagio blushes as Sonata and Aria grin wickedly.

“We’ll need to keep measurements on those cracks, to make sure they’re not getting bigger too fast,” Raven said. “Emerald, would you help me with that?”

Emerald nodded. “Sure thing, Raven.”

“Sunset, you’d better let the princess know about what we just talked about, and warn her that there could be problems in her world if we can’t fix this in time.” Sunset began writing in her magic journal.

“Anything I can do?” Corvus asked.

“We may need your assistance when Carrie gets here,” Raven replied, “but until then ... more tacos, food boy!”

Corvus rises and shakes his head. “A genius is never appreciated under his own roof,” he leans in and says to Sonata, causing her to blush more at the close proximity. He straightens up. “Very well, I shall serve as your food minion, but you will rue the day you mistreated me, mark my words!” With a dramatic flourish, he left the kitchen.

Sonata sighs and places her elbows on the table, resting her head in her hands. “He’s a dream ... and he loves tacos...” she says, a dopey smile crossing her face. A pillow gently whacks her in the head. Sonata looks around to see Aria hiding a pillow behind her back, whistling casually.

* * *

The next day, Raven and Emerald are climbing around the statue base. Raven has a tape measure, and she calls out measurements to Emerald, who writes them down in a notebook.

"Has anyone seen Sonata?" Adagio asks, as she gets ready to join Gem in a ride to the airport to get Carrie.

"She's asleep," Aria says, coming out of her room wearing nothing more than a bra, panties, and socks. "Something about a taco coma."

Adagio sighed. "Well, if she ever gets up, I'm with Gem and the others will be at the portal." And off she goes, collecting her car keys.

* * *

"Thank you for coming at such short notice, Carrie!" Gem says, walking back toward the car with Carrie and Adagio. "This isn't going to affect anything at the mechanic's, is it?"

“Nah, I’m all caught up,” Carrie says, walking next to Adagio, and wrapping her arm around Adagio’s waist. “Besides, this is much more important than the shop anyway, and it gives me an excuse to come to visit again,”

Adagio blushed more. “It’s always great to see you too, Carrie. I just wish we could get together more often.”

“You and me both, sweetie,” Carrie said, giving Adagio a small squeeze. “So, how long has this been going on with the portal?”

"Since after the Games," Gem confirms. She takes out a necklace with a pendant shaped like her pony counterpart's cutie mark. "We got these at Camp Everfree, we all have one... we just don't know what they mean or what they're for. Think you can take a look later?"

“Ooo, nifty!” Carrie says, looking closely at the necklace. “Sure, be glad to give them a once-over. Okay, let’s go seal the dam!”

“Statue,” Adagio said.

“Whatever,” Carrie replied, kissing Adagio’s cheek.

By the time Gem, Carrie, and Adagio arrived at the school, the rest of the group had assembled. Twilight had arrived with Sunset, who had also picked up a more-awake Sonata and a more-clothed Aria. Corvus looked over Raven’s shoulder, studying the data she had collected and made notes of his own.

Carrie ran up to Corvus and bear-hugged him. “Future cousin-in-law!” she squealed with joy.

Corvus struggled for breath, and when he could finally draw one, he said, “You must be Carrie. Great to meet ya.”

"The big sister I never had," Gem says happily.

Sunset went over to the trunk of her car and started passing out instruments. "I've got my guitar, Raven's guitar, Gem's keyboard, mics for the Dazzlings..." She stopped. “Uh... Twilight? Emerald? I don't think I have anything for you."

"No prob," Emerald says, producing her laptop and a small mixer from her backpack. "And Sparks can sing! She just doesn't like to share."

Carrie looked at Corvus. “Um, did anyone tell them that maybe this isn’t the best time for a rock concert?”

“They’re gonna try to use their magic to seal the cracks first,” Corvus explained. “After that, they’ll have to try something more mechanical.”

“Which is why I’m here, apparently.” Carrie thought for a moment. “Say, you’re the nuclear scientist, right?”

“Still got a year to graduate, but that’s what I’m studying,” Corvus said.

“You planning to use your powers for good or evil?” Carrie asked.

Corvus shrugs. “Depends on who pays more.”

Carrie chuckles. “I like you. You’re good in-law material.”

Corvus smiled. “Oh, looks like they’re ready. Let’s see if they need anything.” Corvus and Carrie walked over to the group.

"We should be all set," Emerald says, helping to set up everyone's gear. "You can be our adoring fans!"

"That won't be too hard," Carrie says, grinning at Gem and Adagio.

"What song should we play?" asked Adagio. "None of our old numbers would really be appropriate."

"I have a suggestion," Gem says, and leans in Raven's ear.

Raven smiles. "I think that one is perfect! Alright girls, follow our lead!" And they [begin](https://youtu.be/tGYS1o-pnVU). As the girls sing, they begin their transformation. Ears and tails sprout from them and they begin to glow with magical energy. Soon, they create a rainbow-colored beam of pure magical energy, which they direct at the cracks. The statue glows brightly, causing Corvus and Carrie to shield their eyes.

The song ends, and the glow fades. Wearily, the girls pick themselves up form the ground. “Did – did it work?” Adagio asked groggily.

"Hard to say," Gem says, getting to her feet. "Let's see!" She climbs up onto the statue base, running her hands along the top and checking for any cracks. The base begins to shake, slowly at first then more violently as the statue splits apart, and is then eaten by raw magic. Gem screams in terror as she's caught up in the blast, disappearing from view altogether.

“GEM!!” Raven screams as Emerald throws a shield around what remained of the statue base, trapping what magic was trying to enter the human world.

“Wait, where’s Twilight and Sunset?” Aria cried out.

“I can’t hold this forever!” Emerald yells amid the confusion.

Corvus and Carrie look at each other, then nod, sprinting off to find the stuff they need.

* * *

Gem remains suspended in the void, floating along, when she hears some familiar voices.

“Oh look, a new plaything!”

“She’s no fun, always ruining things for us!”

“But look, she’s alone, none of her meddling friends to help her this time!”

Gem looks around to find herself surrounded by the demon forms of Midnight Sparkle and Fireball Shimmer.

All Gem saw, at least at first, was white as the explosion occurred, and magical flames licked at her clothes and skin. Then the light faded, and she opened her eyes to find herself changed, stuck halfway between human and pony. The world around her was a swirling maelstrom of color and light. She hears the voices and turns to look at the speakers, dumbstruck. "Midnight Sparkle?! Fireball Shimmer?! What in the world are you two doing here?' She points a finger at Midnight. "We dealt with you at camp! And... well, we blasted you," she points at Fireball, "with rainbow lasers the night of the formal!"

"We know," Fireball Shimmer spat. "We were there. You're here because we want you to be, Gemini. You are here, alone, without your friends. Which means there will be no one to stop us from killing you."

Gem gulped. "...you can't be serious. What good would that do?"

“For you? None,” Midnight said with an evil snicker. “For us, it means we can finally run unchecked and take our rightful place in that puny little world you’re so fond of!”

“You’ve thwarted our plans time and again, Gemini,” Fireball continued. “You and that stupid ‘magic of friendship’ crap kept us down and buried. But, we’ve always been here, ready to emerge at the first weakness. That weakness was you getting pulled in here.”

“And now, with you here and no one able to stop us, we can complete our task and finish you off once and for all, and once that’s done, we will be unstoppable!” The two demons laughed loudly, circling Gem.

"Not without a fight, you won't!" Gem exclaims, reaching into a pocket of her blouse and taking out her magic screwdriver.

Fireball just laughs, snatching it from Gem's fingertips and setting it on fire with a snap. "Please, as if we'd let you defend yourself... we're two powerful raging she-demons, and you're just a lowly, weak little human." She looks over at Midnight. "Shall we kill her together?" she asks, as a fireball forms between her palms.

Midnight lowers her horn and nods. "Let's!" She lights her horn as Fireball tosses... well, a fireball, right at Gem. Gem screams louder than ever, her voice echoing throughout the void as the fireball incinerates her clothes and starts doing the same to her body, when suddenly, an angry voice is heard: "GET YOUR CLAWS OFF MY COUSIN!"

“What?! Who dares?” Midnight yells out in agitation, only to be met by Carrie hurtling towards her. She connected, sending Midnight back a good distance. “Gem!” Carrie called out. “Remember the nullspace portal we made back in fifth grade? It’s the same thing! Do you remember how to get out?”

"Yes!" Gem exclaims. It had been a crucial part of the Supermarket Incident, after all. Gem claps her hands once, and the fire and dark magic disperse. Breathing a sigh of relief, Gem flies over to Carrie and grabs on to her hand. "Let's fly!" she shouts, and a white light appears, leading to home. The two girls take off, zooming toward the light like birds. Then, Gem turns and magically ensnares the two demons into a net. "We're taking you too! Sunset Shimmer brought magic here by turning into you! If expelling you back to where you came from is the only way to save our world, then let's do it!" And with a rushing noise, the four of them were back on the front lawn of CHS. Gem was naked and covered in burns.

A small device was containing the magic from the now-destroyed pedestal. Raven carefully draped her jacket over Gem while Sonata ran back to Sunset’s car to get a blanket. “Carrie, Gem, good to see you again!” Corvus said, relieved. He then noticed Gem’s condition. “Gem... so much more of you...” he said, averting his eyes.

Gem smirks at Corvus. "Sorry, but I'm your sister's property. She'll probably eat you for lunch if you don't stop sneaking glances."

Carrie comes over wearing her labcoat and glasses, completely unfazed at Gem's current state of undress. Instead, she smears a cream over the worst of her burns. "A special cream I synthesized a few months ago," she explains. "Should have you patched up within the hour." Nearby, the half-demon forms of Sunset and Twilight are getting up, groaning. "Ugh... what happened?" moans Sunset. "The last thing I remember is the pedestal exploding and we woke up here... like this..."

"The song didn't work," Twilight reflects. "But what if... what if we send back the dark magic we took? Would that fix things?"

“It...it might,” Sunset said groggily, “but how are we going to get it to release us?”

"By focusing on everything that's come after, of course," Gem says, standing up. She holds Sunset's and Twilight's hands, and the others come to join them: Adagio, Raven, Aria, Sonata, Carrie, and Corvus, with Sunset and Twilight in the middle. "Think about everything we've done together! How close we've all become! Our demons do not define us, they can be conquered! And you two are strong enough to do it!" Six of the eight rise into the air, ponying up immediately. Gem points at the device. "Send them back there. Let them know they have no power over you any longer!"

Sunset and Twilight join hands and concentrate on everything Gem said: on the friends they’ve made, the adventures they’d been on together, the closeness each of them felt to every one currently gathered around them now, bathing them in powerful friendship magic. Both of their eyes started to glow pure white. After a moment, Sunset and Twilight found themselves in the void once again, this time staring down their demonic forms. 

“You’re pathetic,” Fireball taunted. “You could rule universes with a wave of your finger, yet you want to throw all that away!”

“I had such high hopes for you,” Midnight said, shaking her head at Twilight. “So much potential, locked away for countless years… and when you finally release it, you chicken out and repress it!”

"I don't need to rule anything," Sunset shouts back. "This world, and all its wonders is enough for me! There's more for me to discover and explore than I ever could have imagined, and with my friends, I have all I need! Just to see all this beauty... that's ownership enough!"

"You only think I've repressed it," Twilight says to Midnight. "Emerald and the girls have made me stronger than ever! I've only started to achieve my potential, and with their help, I'll go even higher!" She and Sunset join hands, speaking in unison. "We don't need you anymore! Your way leads to death and destruction, and loneliness! We choose to embrace life, and the magic of friendship!" Becoming [more ](http://bit.ly/2f2ar3t)[angelic](http://bit.ly/2eK44TW), a rainbow rockets out from between the two girls and spirals around the demons, turning them into dust.

Back in the real world, Sunset and Twilight smile widely. "We're back to normal! We did it!"

"Well done, you two," Gem says happily, hugging them both. She looks across the courtyard at the destroyed statue. "...oh yes, there is that... we haven't destroyed the portal too, have we?"

Carrie points to the small device, happily humming away. “We have the magic contained, and we can even move it to another host if need be,” she said, smiling. “And there’s no rush, we found a great power source that will last forever … or, at least for a few more decades.”

Sunset looked closer at the device. “Is that … a [dinner plate](http://bit.ly/2dTxtMp)?” she asked, confused.

“Not just any dinner plate,” said Corvus. “A log time ago, a company made dinnerware colored with depleted uranium oxide. I found these in the science lab, I guess they use them for demonstrations in radioactivity.” He picked up a Geiger counter and pointed it at the plate, which made the counter click rapidly. “This stuff has a half-life of a few billion years.”

“But … how were you able to construct a device using that power source so quickly?” Twilight asked.

“I did something similar for freshman year science fair,” Carrie said proudly. “Although, it wasn’t so much as a power source as a small explosive device, according to the bomb squad. Had they not confiscated it, I would have had first place locked for sure.”

"That's my cousin," Gem says proudly. "A regular MacGuyver!"

* * *

The following day, construction begins on a new statue to replace the one that was destroyed. Sunset is sitting on the steps of the school, writing. "Dear Princess Twilight... when we first met, I turned into a raging she-demon and tried to kill you. Yesterday, I tried to kill Gem as she floated in the void between our worlds. But she reminded me that our demons don't have to control us... we can conquer them, and come out the other side as better, stronger people. I mean, ponies. Either way, I'm happy to report that I'm happier than I've been in a long time, and it's all thanks to the magic of friendship. Your friend, Sunset Shimmer."

Twilight sees Sunset and sits down next to her on the steps. “Another note to the princess?” she asks.

Sunset nods, closing the book. "Just letting her know what happened." She thinks a moment. "That's okay, right? That I'm friends with you and... well, the other you?"

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Twilight asks. “That one time I met her, she seemed nice. And truthfully, we’re as different as night and day, what with her being a pony princess and me … not.” She giggled. Turning her gaze to the statue, she asked, “Are they really gone? I mean, they’re not gonna come back and try again to control us, are they?”

"I think so," Sunset says, nodding. "I don't hear her whispers anymore, at least... I think we're fine." She hugs Twilight close. "I'm glad that's over... I can get used to being a normal human again."

“Being human isn’t all that great, either,” Twilight said, hugging back. “But, it still beats being a rampaging she-demon.” she looked at Sunset and smiled. “No offense.”

"None taken," Sunset replies, laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> C: The other scene that has had to be played out twice. The first draft was the source of the “Estrogen is Magic” line, and originally featured humans turning into ponies and ponies turning into humans, ending with Gem and the girls blowing up the portal to Equestria, separating the two worlds forever. That version was written before Friendship Games, but even though I tried to edit it somewhat to include Human Twilight and Emerald, it didn’t work, so we re-did it and this was the result. I prefer this version more, to be honest.
> 
> L: It’s really inconvenient when the show canon tramples upon your version of what happened, and even more so when you need to re-write to add in characters. I’m still happy with the results here, too.


	10. Across the Universe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sunset and Gem travel to Equestria, allowing Gem to experience life as a pony for the first time, and for Sunset to make amends with Princess Celestia.

It had been a month since that afternoon in the park for Gemini’s birthday. The weather had turned colder, so much so that one needed to wear a coat and gloves to stay warm. This was what Gemini and Sunset ended up doing as they walked through downtown Canterlot one Saturday afternoon. Gemini wore a navy blue coat with white gloves and a matching scarf. For extra protection, she kept her hands in her pockets. Arriving in the cafe, the two girls each ordered some warm drinks and made their way to a comfortable booth in the back, where their group always seemed to sit.

“Sunset, I was thinking,” Gem said as she removed her gloves and unzipped her coat, placing it beside her. “Would Twilight consent to me visiting Equestria?”

Sunset paused, considering Gem's question carefully.  She knew what the trip through the portal would be like, having experienced it herself.  Though it was long ago, she still remembered the feelings of disorientation and vertigo, and the shock of being in a different world, as a different species.  

She drew a deep breath.  "Gem," she replied, "I need to be perfectly honest with you.  First, we know that the portal works for Equestrians to pass through to this world, both myself and Princess Twilight are proof of that.  What we don't know is if a human from this world can pass through to Equestria.  Second, there is a chance that Princess Celestia would forbid such a transfer, even if it were possible."  She reached over and took Gem's hand. "That's not to say I won't ask, but I wanted to prepare you for the two most likely reasons that such a trip would not be possible.  I figured telling you up front would spare you some hurt if the answer is no in either case."  Smiling, she let go of Gem's hand and reached for her magic book.  "Still, I'd be glad to ask her, and who knows, I might even be able to go through with you."  Opening to a blank page, she began to write.

Gemini smiles back as she takes a sip of her tea, letting the warmth of the cup spread to her fingers. “I figured it would be difficult, if not impossible… and I think you coming with me would be just lovely. Goodness knows, I could use a guide!” Idly, she places her cup down and inspects a hand, imagining a hoof in its place. “What was it like for you when you came here?” she asked.

Sunset chuckles.  "As you might imagine, I had to get used to all of these strange creatures walking around on two legs, not to mention these things," she said, waggling her fingers.  "I didn't have anyone to guide me through this world, so I had to learn it all by myself."  She dropped her head.  "It was when I realized that intimidation and fear can get things done for you that I became the school bully, and began my plan to take over both worlds.  I still get the backlash from that now and again, but it is getting better."

“I’m glad to hear that!” She rises to give Sunset a hug, then sits back down again. “I imagine being a pony will be just like that… except in reverse.” She giggles. “Ooh, I wonder what kind I’ll be… you’ve said there are three different ones, right? Unicorn, pegasus, and earth pony?"

"Yes, that's correct," Sunset answered, "although it would be more likely that you might become an earth pony.  Unicorn is possible, I guess, since you are able to 'pony up,' and as for pegasus?  That's the least likely of the three.  Besides, you might have a hard enough time learning to walk with hooves, it might be too much to learn basic flight."

Gem nodded. “I guess we’ll just have to find out! Assuming we can, that is.” She sipped at her drink once more, then says “Thank you for doing this for me, Sunset… even if it doesn’t pan out, the fact that you’ve been so accommodating is more than enough.”

"Oh, you're quite welcome," Sunset said, blushing slightly.  "I think it's great that you want to visit there, and I'd love to be able to show my friends around.  The Dazzlings aren't really showing a big interest in going back there, they've acclimated to a life here and --"

Sunset is interrupted when the book starts to glow and vibrate.  "There's the answer.  Are you ready to hear it?"

“Ready,” Gem replies, draining her cup and bracing herself.

Sunset opened the book, and began reading Twilight's answer:

_"Dear Sunset Shimmer,_

_Your question came at the most opportune time, as I am currently in Canterlot discussing various issues with Princesses Celestia and Luna.  As soon as I received your request, I went directly to Princess Celestia and asked her thoughts on this matter._

_The portal magic seems stable enough to allow for humans to pass through , although we are not sure if it is, in fact, possible.  We will conduct some tests here and hope to have an answer for you within a day or so.  If it is possible, Princess Celestia has granted Gemini permission to pass through and experience the wonders of Equestria first-hoof.  Or, hand, whichever you prefer._

_Sunset, she also granted you permission to cross through with Gemini, and act as her official guide while she is in Equestria.  I will accompany the both of you as well.  Once we have an answer as to whether humans can safely pass through the portal, I will write again and let you know the results.  I am hoping to see the both of you very soon!_

_Your friend,_

_Princess Twilight Sparkle."_

Gem claps her hands excitedly and then hugs Sunset as tightly as she can, bouncing slightly. “This is stupendous news! I’m so excited! I’ll have to pack! Ooh, and bring money with me, and a change of clothes. And basic toiletries. And my supplements.” Thinking quickly, she whips out her phone and makes a checklist. “Anything else I should know?”

"I wouldn't worry about money so much," Sunset said with a grin, watching her excited friend.  "I'm sure Princess Twilight won't let either of us pay for anything while we're there, and I'm pretty sure my old bank account is still there in case we need bits for whatever reason."  She hesitated for a moment.   "As for the clothing, well ... anything cut for a human won't fit on you as a pony, and ... as a general rule, most ponies don't wear everyday clothing anyway."  She smiled.  "We can ask Twilight about that once we get the go-ahead to cross over."

“Really?” Gem stares, amazed. “Fascinating! I mean, I’m not surprised, since ponies have fur and all, but still!” She pulls on her coat and gloves again, “Shall we go? It’s already starting to get dark!”

"Yeah, we better get going," Sunset says, looking around and out at the darkening sky.  "We can talk more later, and I will let you know when I hear back from Twilight."  She gets up and puts her coat on, and the two exit the coffee shop.

* * *

Come Sunday morning, Gemini could be found sitting on the living room sofa of her home munching on a piece of toast. She’d spent most of the previous night packing a duffel bag with basic toiletries, her supplements, and other things she might need for a few days in Equestria. Today she wore blue jeans, white shoes, a dark green sweater, and of course her glasses. Beside her was her phone. There hadn’t been any news from Sunset yet, but hopefully something would come soon.

Gem's phone buzzes, and a message from Sunset appears on the screen:

>>I have news.  On my way over.<<

Several minutes later, Sunset stands at Gem's door, a large grin upon her face.  "I just got a message from Twilight," she says, barely containing her excitement.  "Hope you're packed, because we're taking a trip to Equestria!"

Gem happily cheers and races up the stairs, grabs her bag, and then races back down again, coat and gloves already in hand. “This is wonderful news! What did she say?” she asked, as she pulled her coat on and grabbed her stuff.

"I'll read it to you while you get your coat on," Sunset replied, opening the book.  "She says, Dear Sunset, our tests have confirmed that the portal will allow a human to pass through safely to Equestria.  Write back and let me know when you two are expected to arrive.  I'm very excited at seeing the both of you again, and at welcoming Gem to Equestria!  See you soon, Twilight.  I'm excited, and nervous all at the same time.  I told her we could be there in about two hours, and that was  about ... " She checks the time on her phone. " ... an hour ago.  Let's head to the portal, and begin our adventure!"

“Geronimo!” Gem cheers, following Sunset out with her bag in hand. She breathes through her nose, and wisps of cloud float around in the chilly air. At the portal, she looks at herself, as if savoring it. She closes her eyes, takes another deep breath, then nods. “Okay, I’m ready,” she says, taking Sunset’s hand. “Shall we go together?”

"I'll go first, and you follow right behind me," Sunset said, placing a hand against the portal.  It rippled and shimmered in the morning light.  "Time to go home," Sunset whispered, stepping through the portal.

Gem grabs her bag, and runs a gloved finger over a hand, before nodding. “Allons-y,” she pronounces, in perfect French. Adagio had been teaching her some. Then she too steps through the portal, and into adventure!

* * *

Bright colors and flashes of light swirl around Gem as she passes between two worlds.  She next finds herself sprawled out on a throw rug on a stone floor, a giant mirror behind her.  Standing in front of her are two ponies: one she somewhat recognizes and a very regal-looking purple alicorn. "In my official capacity, I, Princess Twilight Sparkle, welcome you, Gemini Shadow, to the land of Equestria," Twilight says.  "In my unofficial capacity ... " She runs up and embraces Gem tightly.  "It's so good to see you again!!"

Gem embraces Twilight tight with her forelegs, not quite registering her transformation yet, nor the fact that she is completely naked. “It’s good to see you again too!” she says, smiling back. “The Formal seems like a lifetime ago!” Then she releases her hold and starts inspecting herself. “Ooh, fur! And hooves! And…” She twists around, “A tail! I have a tail! And a muzzle!” She looks to the other two mares. “Sunset, that must be you! You’re such a pretty unicorn!” She claps her hooves happily, then realizes something. “…Where’d my clothes go?”

Twilight and Sunset both suppress a chuckle.  "Your clothes will return to your body when you step back through the portal," Twilight explained.  "There's really no need for them here, except as show costumes or fancy clothing for the Grand Galloping Gala.  Some of the 'fancier' ponies wear clothing all the time, but that's more of a matter of preference than social rule."

"Besides, we unicorns don't need clothing to look good, and that includes you, too," Sunset added, directing Gem to look in the mirror at herself.  Gem turned and was stunned to see a horn in the center of her forehead, much like the ones that Twilight and Sunset had.

Gem smiles, bouncing around on all fours. “I’m a unicorn! Wheeeeeee! I look so adorable!” she squeaks, before settling down again. The word ‘fancier’ triggers a memory. “Apparently I have a pony counterpart here… can we go meet them?” she asks hopefully.

Twilight holds up a hoof.  "All in good time," she says, "I have been in contact with your counterpart, and he is willing to meet with you, but there's something else that needs to be done first.  Gem, I will need you to wait here, Sunset needs to come with me."  Sunset looks stunned, but follows Twilight out of the room and into the hall.

* * *

To say that Sunset Shimmer was nervous was an extreme understatement. The truth of the matter was, she was terrified. She glanced uneasily at Twilight as the two mares trotted into the throne room, caught a single glance of her former mentor staring imperiously down at her from her throne, and walked the rest of the way looking down at the carpet. She suddenly felt like a filly again, rather than a young mare. Echoes of her last conversation with Celestia played in her head, and she shivered.

Somewhere above her, Twilight spoke up. “Sooo, Princess Celestia... You'll never guess who's back! Actually, maybe you can guess, 'cause she's right here!” She laughed nervously.

Sunset facehoofed, she couldn’t help it. Then, steeling herself, she took a deep breath and said her first words to Celestia in many moons, looking up at the sun princess: “Princess Celestia, the last time we saw each other, I was your snide little pupil who betrayed and abandoned you. I come before you a changed pony, humbly asking for forgiveness, guidance, and knowledge.” There was a long silence, and Sunset looked back down at the floor again. Celestia’s shadow loomed over her, distant and cold. Sunset gulped. “Or I can just go, and you never have to see me again.”

Then, something surprising happened: Celestia smiled, and lifted Sunset’s chin up with her hoof, embracing her. “I’ve missed you, Sunset Shimmer. You have my forgiveness, and I am glad that you have returned home.” She glanced over at Princess Twilight. “Twilight has told me much of your escapades in the realm of humans. While I am still disappointed that you chose to flee there to begin with, I cannot deny that your experiences there have shaped you into who you are today. I am proud of you, Sunset.”

Sunset blushed, and slowly let go of her teacher’s embrace. “It’s been a pretty crazy few years… taking a rainbow to the face does a lot to change how a person sees the world.” She smirked at Twilight. “That, and being turned into a raging she-demon and back again.”

“Indeed,” Celestia said. “Happy as I am that you have returned after so long, I must ask: do you intend to stay? Did you come solely to speak with me?”

Sunset shook her head. “Actually, I came here with a friend… my best friend, Gemini Shadow. This is her first time in Equestria. Would you like to speak with her?”

“Perhaps later,” Celestia answered. “Luna, would you mind going out to see that Sunset’s friend is alright?”

Luna nodded. “Of course, sister.” She trotted back to the throne room doors

* * *

Gem waits patiently for Sunset to return, looking curious, but decides not to pry for the moment. Princess Luna passes by, and gives Gem a smile. “So thou art-“ She stops, realizing Gem might not understand Olde Equestrian, and tries again. “So you are the one to have come through the portal,” she says, and extends a hoof. “Tis a pleasure to meet you, Lady Gemini. Twilight Sparkle has told us much about you.”

Gem shakes the hoof, and bows her head. “It’s nice to meet you too, Princess… um… Luna, I think. Is that right?”

"That is correct, although, you may simply call me Luna."  Luna sits down in front of Gemini.  "Please, in private, there is no need for such formality,  Sit, let us talk for a while.  I hear that I have a counterpart in your realm.  Pray tell, what is a 'vice-principal'?  Is that a title of royalty?"

Gemini sits too, much like a human would. At Luna’s question, she chuckles. “Something like that… she’s one of two Principals at Canterlot High, the school Sunset and I go to. Her sister is Principal Celestia.”

"Ah, fascinating!  So my counterpart and her sister rule the school much like my sister and I rule this land?" Luna asks.

Gem nods, “Yes, exactly! They’re the best principals anyone has ever had. They’ve looked after me the whole time I’ve been a student there, I’m very grateful for them.”

"I am pleased to hear that," Luna says, "but I have another question regarding my counterpart."  Her face turns serious.  "Tell me truthfully.  Has my counterpart ever succumbed to the clutches of true evil, so dark that she turns against not only her subjects, but against the sister that loves her dearly?  Do the students tremble at the sight of her, or fear her wrath when she speaks?"

Gem stares at Luna for a long while, before shaking her head, “Not that I know of… I mean, she’s strict with punishments, but most of the kids seem to like her…” Something clicks in her mind. “Did that happen to you?”

Luna nods sadly.  "It is something I would not wish upon anypony, and it relieves me greatly that in your world, my counterpart has not been tainted in such a way."  She begins to brighten.  "I am also pleased to hear that she is a firm but fair disciplinarian and a  trusted advisor.  It would be a true honor to meet her some day."

"Meet who, Luna?" Twilight asked as she and Sunset re-entered the room.  Both of them had red-rimmed eyes, and it appears that Sunset had been crying recently.  "Oh, has Gem been telling you about the Luna in her world?  How has she been doing, Gem?  I really didn't get much of a chance to talk to her, for obvious reasons."

Gem smiles, “She’s doing splendidly, Twilight. We, that is, myself, Sunset, Raven and the Dazzlings,” she says for Luna’s benefit, “get along just splendidly!” She notices Sunset and goes over, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “You okay?”

Sunset smiles, her cheeks still a bit moist.  "Yeah, I'm fine.  Everything's okay, honest."  She sees Luna sitting on the floor.  "Princess Luna, I believe.  I don't think we've ever met.  My name is Sunset Shimmer.  I was a student of Princess Celestia."  She bows courteously.

Luna smiles and rises to her own hooves, “It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Sunset Shimmer, at last. Thy temperament seems most improved from how our sister described it!” Out comes the old Equestrian again.

"I have grown quite a bit since those days," Sunset said with a grin. "I learned a lot, and had good friends steer me back onto a good course."  She smiles at Gem and Twilight.

Luna smiles as well.  "Yes, we all have matured in our own ways.  It is a pleasure to meet you, and you too Gemini, but I sense you're anxious to begin exploring our fine land, so I will take my leave.  I hope to see you once again before you depart." Luna rises and nods to Gem and Sunset.  "I wish you a splendid time.  Farewell for now."  She departs.

Twilight gathers Sunset and Gem in a wing-hug.  "Oh, this is going to be so much FUN!" she exclaims.  "Where would you like to start?"

Gem hugs Twilight back and smiles, "Well, how about showing me around town?" she asks. "We can visit your friends!"

"Sounds good to me!  Let's get started!" Twilight says, leading the two out of the room.

* * *

Gem is a bit shaky on her hooves but she adapts quickly. From there they go through the castle and out into Ponyville. Gem is looking at everything with an amazed expression on her face.

Sunset is about as amazed as Gem is, having never really traveled to Ponyville before.  "I remember a time as Celestia's student, gazing down into this valley and seeing this village.  I never gave a thought to visiting, and now I'm kinda sorry I didn't."  She gave Gem a  friendly hip check.  "What say you, pony girl?  Is it everything you imagined it would be?"

Gem laughs at the nickname and nods, “Even more amazing than that! I could stay here for ages!”

"It does seem a  very pleasant and friendly town," Sunset said in agreement.  All around them, ponies went about their business.  Pegasi swooped through the skies, arranging clouds in different patterns; earth ponies trotted by, some pulling wagons loaded with goods destined for the central marketplace; and unicorns pitched in by performing a variety of tasks.  

A tall earth pony pulling a large wagon stopped nearby to where the three were walking.  He was a grayish pony, with brown mane and tail, and perched upon his head was a beat-up old Stetson-style hat.  He tipped his hat to Twilight.  "Morning, Miss Twilight, good to see you today.  Who's your friends there?" he asked, pointing a hoof towards Sunset and Gem.

Gem smiles in recognition, knowing exactly who this pony was in her world. “I’m Gem, and this is Sunset,” she says, gesturing to the other unicorn. “And you are?”

"I'm Longhaul," he replied with a smile.  "Pleasure to meet you Miss Gem, and Miss Sunset.  You two must be from out of town, I don't recall seeing you around here before."

Sunset nods.  "Yes, we're just here visiting with Twilight for a little while."

"Well, ain't that nice," Longhaul said.  "Welcome to Ponyville, and I hope you all have a fun time.  I know you want to get back to your sightseein', and I gotta get this load over to Sugarcube Corner--" he nods toward his wagon, filled with sacks of flour and sugar "--so I better get moving.  Have a great time!"  He tips his hat once again, and with a mighty pull, starts the wagon rumbling on down the road.

“Bye Longhaul!” Gem calls out, waving. “He’s just like our Longhaul,” she tells her. “Only not a bus driver.”

A well-dressed noble pony who looks like Gem’s long-lost twin brother comes trotting out from Sugarcube Corner, carrying a blueberry muffin and a cup of tea in his blue magic aura. He trots through the streets, waving to every pony he sees.

Sunset looks over toward Sugarcube Corner, and immediately nudges Gem.  "And on the subject of familiar ponies..." she said indicating the tea-sipping dapper pony.

Twilight smiles.  "On schedule, as always!  Come on, girls!"  She led the two across the street and caught up with the pony.  "Orion?  Sorry to bother you, but can you spare a moment?" Twilight asked.

“Of course I can, Twilight!” Orion says happily, smiling to the Princess. “What can I do for you this morning?”

"I wanted to introduce you to some friends of mine," Twilight replied," I believe I told you they were coming today.  I'd like you to meet Sunset Shimmer--" Sunset waved and smiled "--and this is Gemini Shadow," Twilight said, indicating Gem.  Twilight and Sunset stood back and watched as Orion and Gem studied each other.

The two of them trot in circles around each other, eyeing each other up. “Are you from…” Orion begins.

“The other world? Yes,” Gem finishes. 

“So… I’m a mare?” Orion asks.

“In a manner of speaking.” She smirks.

Orion chuckles. “Well, that’s not the strangest thing I’ve heard all day. Besides, the look suits you.”

Gem giggles and pecks Orion’s cheek. “You’re sweet,” she tells him. “Your Raven must be absolutely besotted with you.”

Orion chuckles. “How did you know that?”

Gem laughs. “We’re each other. Who else would you possibly date?”

“Valid point.” Orion seems to have forgotten the other two were there.

Twilight and Sunset stood off to the side, watching Gem and Orion.  Both of them have large grins on their faces, and at one point, Sunset stifled a chuckle.  Twilight cleared her throat.  "Um, Orion ... Gem ... I'm sure you two have a million questions for each other, is there somewhere we could go to talk that's more ... private?"  She nodded to the group of ponies that had stopped to watch the interesting display.

“There’s my house,” Orion says, as if waking up from a trance. 

“Yes, let’s go!” Gem agrees, and together the two twins lead Twilight and Sunset to Equestria’s version of Shadowfall.

“Raven is sleeping in,” Orion comments as he leads everypony into the house, “But Steno should be around here somewhere.” He starts looking around, calling out “Steno? Stenoooo! I have guests!"

Steno, having reverted to pony form at the mention of guests, trotted out into the main foyer.  "Ah, Orion, you're home earlier than expected.  I was just sorting your correspondence."  He nods courteously to Twilight.  "Princess, always a pleasure to see you."  He looks over to Sunset and Gem.  "I see one pony I've not met before and one that looks ... strangely familiar..." He looks between Gem and Orion.  "I-is this the one you had mentioned, Orion?" he asks, perplexed.

Gem nods, bowing her head. “A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Steno,” she says politely, smiling at him. “I am she! You may call me Gemini. This is my friend Sunset Shimmer.”

Steno smiled.  "A pleasure to meet you both.  I am Steno Pad, Orion's personal assistant.  Please, follow me."  He leads the group into the main sitting room.  "Make yourself comfortable, and I'll arrange for some tea and snacks to be brought in.  Orion, shall I have Miss Raven join you when she awakens?"

“Please,” Orion says with a nod, sitting in his favorite chair by the fireplace. “I’m sure she and Gemini will get along just splendidly.” While Steno goes out to get snacks ready, Orion turns to Sunset Shimmer. “Twilight has told me a little about you,” he says, “But I don’t think we’ve ever met properly… you were Princess Celestia’s student, yes?"

"I was once, yes," Sunset replied.  "There was a ... falling-out of sorts, and I was sent to the world that Gem is from."  She sighs and fiddles with her hooves.   "I had a lot of issues to work through, and thanks to Twilight, I was finally able to make peace with both myself and Princess Celestia."  She smiles.    "I am now the official magic advisor to Canterlot High School, and it's a duty I take with pride."

“Congratulations!” Orion smiles warmly, “As well you should, I am told you’ve gotten quite a workout in that capacity.” He looks between the two mares, “How long do you plan on staying in Equestria?”

"I'd like to say, 'as long as Twilight will put up with us,'" Sunset said with a chuckle, "but it'll be more like about a week.  School's on break, so as long as we're back before it resumes we'll be fine."

"Princess Luna has said she'd like to meet with them again, too," Twilight added.  "So, they'll have quite the adventure while they're here."

Orion smiles, “Splendid, splendid! Luna does love adventures, you know.”

Gemini stares at him. “You are on first-name terms with her?”

Orion nods, “It’s a long story… a very long story. I’m writing a book that explains it all, maybe even two."

Gem stares in awe.  "Wow ... my counterpart has had such an exciting life, hobnobbing with royalty and who knows what kinds of adventures, while her I am having not even finished high school."  She sighs.  "In a way, I'm kinda jealous, but I'm also thrilled to have such a wonderful life."

"Was that 'wife,' or 'life?'"  came a voice from the doorway.  Raven slowly made her way into the sitting room and sat down next to Orion.  "If you had said we'd be having company, dear, I would have been up earlier." She kissed Orion's cheek.

“I hadn’t expected them quite this soon,” Orion says, kissing Raven back. “Raven, Gemini and Sunset. Gemini and Sunset, Raven.”

“Are you a magician too?” Gem asks, looking to Raven. “My Raven is! She’s the best!”

"I perform now and again," Raven says, blushing, "and while I'm not super-famous, I have a decent following."  She smiles.  "So, there's a Raven in your world, too?  Is she as cute as I am?"

“Oh yes! Just wait until you see her!” And she automatically starts looking for her phone, remembering the bags she’s been carrying all this time. Finding it, she turns it on (naturally, there is no signal) and taps with her muzzle to a picture of Raven taken when she, Gem, Sunset, and the Dazzlings had gone to the beach the previous summer. All of them are wearing swimsuits. “She’s the most beautiful girl I know… I would do anything for her!"

Orion and Raven stare at the picture.  "So that's what a human looks like..." Raven finally says.  "That's what ... what I look like in that other world?"  She studies the picture again.  "Yup ... still sexy."  She grins.

Steno, having arrived with tea and snacks, sets the tray down and studies the picture.  "Hmm ... that looks to be a more complicated transformation than I currently can accomplish.  And how does one balance on those skinny little toothpicks like that?"

“Very carefully,” Gem says with a giggle. “If it was possible, I’d change and show you all right now… but somehow I don’t think it is.” She glances back toward Twilight. “Unless… do you think a temporary change could work? I mean, you are an alicorn.”

"Maybe I can be of assistance," Steno says.  He looks at the picture carefully, studying every detail.  "Okay, don't be alarmed," he says as he steps to the middle of the room.  With a burst of green fire, standing before everypony is the human version of Raven where Steno once stood.  She begins to wobble a bit.  "Whoa ... okay, I'm all right...whoopsie...no no, I got this."  Steno stares at her new hands.  Wiggling the fingers a bit, Steno grins.  "Wow, these are almost like griffon talons, I wonder ... "  She picks up a teacup with her hand.  "Yes!  Almost exactly!"

Gem and Sunset stare in amazement.  "I know of only one species that can do that," Sunset says softly, "but they hadn't been seen in this area for a long time.  Orion, when did the changelings return?" she asks.

“Raven!” Gem cheers and hugs the purple girl, knowing that it’s an illusion, but not caring either way. 

Orion meanwhile responds, “Just a few years back… they attacked Canterlot first, then Ponyville a few months later. Steno was one of Chrysalis’ drones, until… well… I don’t talk about that. Suffice it to say, her hive was liberated and the two races now live in relative harmony.”

"If it weren't for Orion, I really don't know what would have become of me," Steno replied, hugging Gem back.  "Hm, so this is what pony fur feels like to a human ..very fluffy and soft, I must say..." He lets go of Gem and gently breaks her hug.  "I apologize, but this form is very draining.  I will need to revert back now.  You should step back."  After Gem moves away, another flash of green fire washes over Steno, who changes back to his changeling self.  "I'll be recharged in a few minutes, thanks to all the love that Orion and Raven generate.  If there's nothing else for now, Orion, I'll take my leave."

Orion nods, and bids Steno farewell. “Thank you, Steno!” He waves.

Gem looks back to Raven. “So, what’d you think? Is she just as cute in person?”

"Even more so!" Raven says giddily.  "Even in other worlds, you sure know how to pick 'em!"  She goes over and hugs Gem tight.  "You better take good care of her and treat her right, or so help me I'll come through that portal thingy and whomp some sense into that thick skull of yours."

Gemini laughs. “That sounds exactly like my Raven,” she says. “Of course I will! How could I not? We’re engaged!” The ring she had been wearing around her finger was now around her horn.

Raven oohs at the ring, getting a close look at it.  "Oh, she's definitely a keeper.  And good taste in jewelry, too."

“It was a birthday present,” Gem says happily. “I really am so glad to have her in my life… I can’t imagine it without her.” Suddenly, a thought strikes her. “Hey! Why don’t you two attend the wedding?”

Raven looks at Orion, and both of them look at Twilight.  "Well?  Is it possible for us to go?" Raven asks.

Twilight thinks for a moment.  "Well, I've proven that there's no danger of a paradox in meeting your other-world counterpart, and I'm pretty sure that, given Orion's security clearances, the princesses wouldn't have any major objections ... I can ask them at our next get-together and see what they say."

Gem cheers and claps her hooves. “Inter dimensional wedding guests! Wheeee! Just wait until I tell the rest of the girls, Sonata will be thrilled!"

"That sounds like fun!" Twilight says, clapping her hooves.  Then, after a beat, she drops her hooves and looks bashful.  "That is, of course, if I'm invited as well."

“Of course you are!” says Gem at once. “Our Twilight will be there too!”

"It'll be a fun time," Sunset said.  "The Dazzlings will be singing at the reception, there'll be tons of food, and all of our friends will be there."

“I’ve even invited my family… Father accepted pretty much immediately, but Mother… she rather hit the roof. Again.” Gem sighs, “I’m never going to bring her over to my side, am I?”

"If your mother is as strong-willed as Orion's?  Probably not, at least not right away.  No reason to quit trying, however."  Raven hugs Gem.  "It'll be okay, honest.  It sounds like you have a wonderful support system back home."

Gem hugs back, “The best a girl could ask for,” she says happily. She rises to her hooves. “This was fun, but I think we were also planning to visit Twilight’s other friends,” she says, remembering. “But we’ll be sure to come back and visit!”

"Yes, please make sure you come back before you leave!"  Raven gets up and hugs both Gem and Sunset.  "It's been a pleasure to meet both of you, thank you so much for stopping by!"  

Twilight joins Gem and Sunset.  "Thank you both for your time, we'll be sure to stop by again."

Gem hugs them both back, “See you soon!”

* * *

It wasn’t long before word that Princess Twilight was hosting guests from an alternate world began to spread. Ponies all over town queued up to meet Gemini and Sunset, ask them questions about their world, and even what humans looked like. Among the group were Twilight’s friends: Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy, as well as Lyra Heartstrings, Vinyl Scratch, Bonbon, and Octavia Melody. Lyra was known for her strange obsession with humans, and needless to say was ecstatic to meet two humans-turned-ponies right there in her adopted hometown of Ponyville, so much so that she had dragged her “best friend” Bonbon and her fellow musicians along for the ride.

The line moved steadily forward. As Mr. and Mrs. Cake left with the twins and a promise that Gem and Sunset would visit Sugarcube Corner within the week, Applejack took their place. She gave the two mares a warm smile. “Howdy, y'all! Good ta meet ya both, Twilight has been talking about you all day! My name’s Applejack!” She shakes both Gem’s and Sunset’s hooves rapidly.

“Um … good to meet you, too,” Sunset said under the onslaught of hoofshaking.  “You must own that apple farm up yonder that I've been hearing about.”

Applejack nods, “I sure do! Best apples in all of Equestria! Come on down and try some, sugarcubes!”

“We’ll be sure to,” Gem promised, giving the orange pony a smile. Satisfied, Applejack moved off to visit with some other friends. Next came Rainbow Dash. “Twi says you’re from that crazy other world where everypony walks on two legs and has… hands, I think they’re called,” she says, looking for confirmation. 

Gem nods, “That is indeed so, but Sunset here was originally a pony. She moved to my world a few years ago, and it’s been her home ever since.”

Dash smirks. “Oh yeah? Is it better over there or something?”

“Well, I hadn't really been allowed to return here until recently,” Sunset said, embarrassed.  “It seems the princesses really don't like it when you try to take over the throne.”

Dash blinked.  “Oh, you're the pony that stole Twilight's crown, aren'tcha?  So what happened? Twilight never told us what happened after you went all she-demony and everything.”

Sunset blushed.  “Well, long story short, Gem here offered me her friendship and I accepted it.  Now, I work with the school as their magical consultant.”

Dash nods.  “That sounds pretty awesome.  And Gem, you must be pretty awesome, too.”

Gem blushes, “Well, I try. I wouldn’t be the girl I am today if it wasn’t for my friends.” 

Dash nods, “You sound like Twilight, you know that?”

Gem chuckles, “I shall take that as a high compliment indeed.”

Rainbow grins. “Excellent! I gotta jet, but I’ll see you two later!” And she flies off into the wild blue yonder.

* * *

After an adventurous week of exploring Equestria, it was time for Gem and Sunset to go home. They stood at Twilight’s mirror portal, saddlebags weighed down with snacks and souvenirs. “This has been a great week,” Gem was saying, “But I’m ready to be home. How about you?”

Sunset stretched.  “As fun as it was being here, yeah, I'm ready to go.”  She turns to Twilight.  “Thanks for everything, Twi.  We'll be back soon, I'm sure.”

Twilight smiled, and hugged Sunset and Gem.  “I'll be looking forward to it.  You two be safe, and write me if you need my help.”

“With any luck, there won't be any more incidents like the ones we've seen already,” Sunset said with a smile.  Ready, Gem?”

“Don’t say that, you’ll jinx it!” Gem groans, before nodding. “Until next time, Twilight!” And she steps back through the portal.

Some moments later, they arrive on the other side. The sun is starting to go down, and the air is chilly. Gem rubs her hands together to keep them warm, and notices her clothes are back. Her pony saddlebags have transformed into a backpack of a similar design.

Sunset steps through the portal and sighs.  “Home again,” she says.  “I know, it's strange to hear me say that, but I do consider this my home now. Our visit only reaffirmed that for me.”

Gem’s eyes widen in surprise, “Really? Explain, if you would.” She begins walking the familiar path to the cafe, “I would have thought, considering how happy you seemed to be back in… well, your normal body, that you wouldn’t want to leave. I mean, okay, so you weren’t exactly the nicest pony in your younger days. But you have improved, and everypony we met who knew your story could see it.” She continues in this mode as they go in, order their drinks, and sit down in the group’s usual booth. “So, I guess what I really want to know is… why is our world home, and not Equestria? How did the visit affirm that?”

Sunset sipped her drink and sighed.  “I know it seems strange.  I was born there, I spent a good portion of my life there, I still know the streets, most of the buildings, and it's what I truly am.  But, I just didn't feel like I was home.  For everything I recognized, something else had changed.  It didn't have the same vibe it had when I lived there.”  She took another sip.  “When you live somewhere, you and that city are in sync.  You can feel the vibe of the city, of the people, the surroundings.  You can see the changes come in and adapt to them, grow with them.  But, remove yourself from that place for a long time without being able to return?  Now, you're in a different vibe.  You're more attuned to where you live now than to where you lived then.  You remember the things as they were the day you left, and you're sad when they're no longer there.  You see friends that look so much older then you remember, you mourn old friends that passed away when you're gone.  You're home … but you feel like an outsider.  Because you are one now.  That's why I say that this place is more my home than Equestria is now.”

“A beautiful way to put it,” Gem compliments, “And it makes me understand. I felt like that the last time I went to Trottingham. I was born there, and spent my early life there… but I don’t feel comfortable there anymore. Canterlot is home to me now. But you still seem sad.” She places her hand atop Sunset’s. “If you could live your life over… would you do it all again? If you had the chance to go back and stop yourself from leaving that first time, and winding up here, would you?”

Sunset placed her other hand over Gem's and gave a squeeze.  “I honestly don't know.  Part of me says I'd at least not be such a jerk to everypony, but as for whether or not I'd leave?  I can't say for sure.  Who knows, it could have been me in that crystal castle instead of Twilight, so I would have had to at least leave my home in Canterlot.  And, I only left Equestria because they kicked me out.  It's all hindsight at this point anyway.”  She managed a smile.  “Besides, I met you and Raven, and Emmy and Twi, and the sirens … and we're all good friends.  I think that balances out any bad feelings I may have.”

“Sounds good to me,” Gem says with a smile, sipping her drink. “We’re certainly glad to have you!” They talk for a little while longer, remembering some of their favorite moments. As night falls, the moon rises and the stars come out. The two walk along the path to Sunset’s house, where (as far as Gem was knew) the Dazzlings still lived. As they went, Gem says “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever been to your house before… mind if I stay the night?”

Sunset smirked.  “You sure Raven won't be mad at you for spending the night with another woman?” she teased.  She chuckled and smiled.  “Sure, you're more than welcome.  The Dazzlings stay upstairs and there's a spare room downstairs.”

Gem laughs, “Of course not! She’ll be fine.” Nodding, she walks inside with Sunset, hangs up her coat, and is suddenly pounced on by a randomly-appearing Sonata. “Gemmy!” exclaims the blue girl. “Welcome! I just made another batch of tacos!”

Loud moans can be heard from somewhere. “Not aagaaaain….” groans Aria.

“I didn't say I made them for you, did I, grumpypuss?” Sonata yelled back.  She turned back to Gem and Sunset.  “So, how was your visit?  Didya get me anything?  Huh? Huh? Didya?”

Sunset laughed and handed Sonata a bag. “Here you go.  I got things for the others when they're ready for them.”

Gem nods, “We had such a wonderful time! I met my Equestrian counterpart, he seemed like a nice pony. And Sunset had what I can only assume was a lovely reunion with her former mentor.”

Sonata grins and takes the bag, “Thanks a bunch! And here’s a taco!” She hands both girls a taco each. 

Gem takes hers, “Thank you Sonata, this looks delicious!” She munches it happily as she goes downstairs to get settled.

A short time later, she’s changed into one of Adagio’s old sets of pajamas, and after brushing her teeth, goes to find Sunset, who as it turns out is already writing a note to Twilight. She smiles, “I’m off to bed, Sunny. I’ll see you in the morning.” And she gives her friend a tight hug. “I’m never going to forget this week.”

“Neither will I,” replied Sunset, returning the hug.  “Sleep well, don't mind the squabbling sirens, and I'll see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight,” Gem says with a giggle, descending once more into the depths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> C: The prodigal daughter returns, with a friend! I enjoyed bringing Sunset back to her homeland, but her comments at the end do a lot to show how much she’s developed since Volume 1. Gem’s belief that she was reincarnated as a human after the Elements of Harmony did their thing comes home to roost.
> 
> L: Finally, a chance for Gem to interact with her pony counterpart, Orion. Also a chance to have some of the other canon pony characters interact as well.
> 
> C: The attentive reader will notice that I've added Sunset's reunion with Celestia as it appears in Forgotten Friendship, more or less. It was so perfect, I knew I couldn't not include it.


	11. The Assistant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Still angry at Gem's announcement of her transgender status, Indigo Blaze attempts to return Gem to her old life as a boy by hiring an assistant, who immediately forces Gem to present as a boy against her will.

Gem sat in her room at Shadowfall, sighing heavily. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't keep this house up and running all on her own. Raven and the girls could only visit so often, and with Cassius back in Trottingham, there was simply too much house and too little her for the current arrangement to work.

Without much of a choice, Gem picked up her phone and dialled her father's number. The phone rang a few times, before finally she got his voicemail. With a sigh, she left a message: "Hello Father, it's Gemini... Try as I might, I can't keep this house together all by myself, so I'm calling to ask if you can help me. Talk to you soon, I love you." She hung up, then flopped down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling and hoping she might be able to sleep.

* * *

Indigo Blaze was a very busy woman. Though she was not as busy as her husband was, since he had to spend every day concerning himself with the day-to-day doldrums of democracy, most of her time these days was spent worrying about the affairs of her son, Orion. Though it may not have seemed like it to either Azul nor Orion, Indigo did worry very much about his well-being, and wanted to ensure that he would become the well-respected nobleman and politician he was destined to be.

Naturally, when Azul had let slip at breakfast that morning that Orion needed an assistant (though he'd actually used the false name Orion had begun using) to help around the house, Indigo personally volunteered to see that he got what he needed. She now sat in her grand study, conversing with a potential candidate.

“I know I called you here on short notice,” Indigo said, pacing behind the opulent mahogany desk, “but this is a matter of deep importance.  I assume you are aware of the matter concerning my poor, delusional son?”

“I had heard some talk about that, yes, ma'am,” Perry Scope said with a nod.

Indigo blanched.  “So, word has started to spread through the town, has it?”

Perry waved a hand dismissively.  “Idle rumour-mongering, easily quashed.  So, let's cut to the chase.  What exactly do you wish of me, ma'am?”

“Orion has said he is in need of a personal assistant,” Indigo replied, completely disregarding (as usual) how Gem wished to be addressed, and how her old life as Orion Shadow was long behind her.  “I just know those lowlifes he calls friends are behind his strange behaviour, especially that magician-tramp-harpy of his.  What I want you to do is stay close to him, report back to me on his activities, and try to steer him back to how he's supposed to be.  If you can isolate him from those ruffians as much as possible, even cutting them out of his life forever, that would be a bonus.  And extra compensation for you, as incentive.”

Perry considered all of this, and let out a slow breath.  “This will not be cheap,” he cautioned.

“You will be well-paid for your efforts,” Indigo said coolly, sliding a piece of paper toward him.  “This is the per-diem salary I am willing to pay, plus extra expenses as needed.  

Perry looked at the numbers written on the paper and nodded, his expression unchanged.  “Very well.  Tell me when I need to leave and I'll catch the next transport.”

“I will call you with that information.  Stay close to a phone.  You may go now,” Indigo said, taking a seat at her desk and busying herself with paperwork.  Perry rose, nodded politely, and exited the room, closing the heavy wooden door behind him.

Indigo raised her head after Perry had departed and sighed.  “Oh, my dear Orion … why do you force me to take such extremes to correct your behaviour?” she muttered softly, before returning to her work once more.

* * *

After school the next day, Gem hopped off the bus and made her way up toward Shadowfall, humming a tune. She didn't know why, but everything seemed to go right for her today. Stepping through the front door, she announced "I'm home!" to what she thought was an empty house.

Perry Scope came striding into the main entrance hall, looking well-kept and professional. "Good afternoon, Mr. Shadow," he said crisply. "My name is Perry Scope, your mother hired me to work as your assistant."

Gem frowned, so much for her good day. "That's Miss Shadow to you, Perry," she replied coolly. "As you can plainly see, I am female." She was wearing a windbreaker and a white t-shirt with a lacy white skirt that day, along with her usual white socks and plain black boots.

Perry shook his head. "Your mother would beg to differ, Mr. Shadow, and since I am her employee, you may consider her word to be law." He gave Gem a piece of paper, "These are some house rules she had me write out." He took out his own copy and began to read aloud from it: "1. Under no circumstances are you to dress or in any other way present yourself as anything other than your birth sex." He looked up. "This means that from this time forward, you will present yourself as a true man of the Shadow family, which means all of that," he indicated her current outfit, "will no longer be allowed, in public or in private." 

He moved down the list. "2. Any supplements you have been taking to stimulate the growth of female sexual characteristics will no longer be permitted. I realize, of course, that much of your existing changes," he gestured in the vague direction of her chest, "cannot be reversed, so I have been authorized to purchase a chest binder to compensate. Additionally, this evening you are due to receive a haircut, for a style better suited for a man of your standing." 

He turned the page, "Finally, 3. Contact with the individuals known as Raven Shadow, Sunset Shimmer, Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze, Sonata Dusk, Twilight Sparkle, and Emerald Wave will also no longer be permitted. Your mother deems them to be a dangerous influence on you, and feels that any further contact with them will be detrimental to your development. Are there any questions?"

"Are you my baby-sitter or my assistant?" Gem shot back, looking furious. "How dare you come into my house, stand before me with ridiculous rules about how I may and may not conduct myself, and most damningly of all, forbid me from contacting the only people I know who accept me for who and what I am?!" 

She snapped her fingers, and the main doors flew open. "Get out," she hissed, fire in her eyes. "And take your transphobic nonsense with you. Go back to that witch I am so unfortunate to be related to and tell her that if she tries a stunt like this again, I'm changing my name and separating myself from her entirely! Do I make myself clear?!"

Perry had no reaction to this outburst. He simply walked over and closed the front doors, then said calmly "If you go upstairs to your room, you'll find I have taken the liberty of replacing your clothes and other feminine accoutrements." Then he left, leaving Gem alone with her thoughts.

* * *

When Gem got up for school the next morning, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and sighed. The short hair was bad enough, the masculine cut made it worse. She dressed herself as best she could, got her things, and waited at the bus stop, pointedly ignoring Perry's attempts at starting a conversation.

The two of them stood side by side at the stop as they waited for the bus to come. "I'll be coming with you to school," Perry explains, "to make sure you don't stray from the new guidelines."

"We can't have that," Gem says, very sarcastically. "Horrible things might happen.”

Perry frowned at her. “Orion, please understand that I’m doing this for your own good. Your mother’s very worried about you.”

“My name,” Gem growled, “is Gemini. If you call me by that name again, I will be forced to take drastic action.” As she spoke, the bus finally pulled up and she stepped on, taking her usual seat near the front. “Good morning, Longhaul,” she said, trying to calm herself down. Perry sat next to her in what would otherwise be Raven’s usual place.

“Good morning, Gemini,” Longhaul said, confused by Gem's new look.  He eyed the stranger sitting on the bus suspiciously.  “Sir, no unauthorized riders are allowed on this bus, I'll have to ask you to disembark, please.”

“I am Orion's new personal assistant, and I will accompany him on this ride, at the request of his parents,” Perry replied haughtily.

Longhaul shot Gem a look.  “Let me guess, your mother's idea?”  Gem nodded sadly, still staring at the floor.  Longhaul sighed.  “I should have known.” He turned back to Perry.  “Sir, the laws are very specific as to who can and cannot ride on a school transportation vehicle in this city.  I have a list,” he continued, picking up a clipboard with several papers on it, “which lists all authorized passengers on this particular route, along with bus monitors and chaperones approved by the school administrators, any of which are allowed to be on this bus during transportation to and from the school and on school-sanctioned field trips.  Now, what is your name, sir?” Longhaul asked.

“Perry Scope,” he answered through clenched teeth.  “This is utterly ridiculous, I have--”

“You have no business being on this bus, per state and city laws and safety regulations.  Your name isn't on this list.   Sir, this is the final time I will say this.  Leave the bus now, or I will have you arrested for simple trespassing.”  Longhaul picked up his cell phone.  “You have two minutes to leave this bus before I call the authorities.”

Perry was about to reply with an angry retort, but thought better of it.  He collected himself and rose from the seat.  “Very well.  Since I don't want to cause any undue stress to poor Orion,” he hissed, stressing that name, “I will simply meet him at the school grounds.  Good day, Mister Longshot,” he said stepping form the bus.

Longhaul closed the doors of the bus and glared after Perry. “Oh, you won't ever forget my name again, you slimy …”  He looked over at Gem, who was on the verge of tears.  “Don't worry, I'll call Celestia now.  He won't make it past the parking lot.”  He dialed the phone and, adjusting his headset, spoke with the principal as he maneuvered the bus along on the route, delayed though it was.

* * *

Now unburdened by Perry’s watchful glare, Gem swiftly used her magic to change her masculine outfit into something more feminine, then gave Raven a tight hug as she boarded the bus.

“What gives, Gem?” Raven asked as she sat down beside her beloved. “You never showed up to the study session last night! And what happened to your hair?”

“Well,” Gem said, “It all started yesterday…” She told Raven the story of her afternoon, with particular emphasis on the new guidelines she was supposed to be following. 

By the end of the story, Raven was looking positively murderous. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t give that creep the beating of a lifetime!” she hissed, as the other seven girls (who had boarded the bus and heard the story too) all nodded in agreement.

“Because it would only make my mother think that she’s right about you,” Gem replied. “No, if we’re going to stop this plan of hers, we’re going to do it another way. Or rather, I will.”

Everyone blinked. “All on your own? Without us?” Sunset asked, looking astounded.

Gem nodded, “I don’t have much of a choice. We’re only talking now because Longhaul got him thrown off with the power of the law. Until I get him off my back, there’s no way he’ll let me see you girls again.” She hugged them all tight, looking unhappy.

“We’re not letting you go without a fight,” Emerald said, throwing a fist into the air. “We’ll come up with something!” The others nodded again just as the bus pulled up in front of the doors.

Sure enough, the school parking lot was slightly busier than normal for the cop car at the entrance. Perry could plainly be seen getting shouted at by the school’s resource officer.

“Look at that,” Raven said, sneering. “The way he carries himself, the way he’s dressed, the way he looks… a classic example of Trottingham snobbery if there ever was one.”

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forgive my mother for this,” Gem said, as the group walked into the school. 

“We wouldn't blame you if you didn’t,” said Adagio. “What she’s doing to you… it’s inhumane. Borderline abusive if you ask me, and trust me, we,” she indicated herself, the other two Dazzlings, and Sunset, “know evil.”

* * *

It was after first period when Gem was summoned to the principal's office.  The other girls were concerned, but Gem figured it was so she could give her side of the events of this morning to Celestia herself.  She hurried down the corridors to the office and knocked on the door, opening it slowly.

Celestia sat at her desk, flanked by Vice-Principal Luna and Longhaul, who was turning in his report of the incident on the bus.  Celestia smiled.  “Gem, please come in, take a seat.”

Longhaul smiled also.  “How you holding up, Gem?” he asked, concern evident in his voice.

“I can honestly say I've had better days,” gem said, settling into the chair in front of Celestia's desk.  “I'm guessing I was called here because of Perry?”

Celestia nods.  “We wanted to inform you personally that the resource officer has requested, and received, a restraining order against Mister Scope, meaning if he sets foot within one thousand feet of the school he will be subject to arrest, something the officer is only too happy to do after dealing with him this morning.”

Gem breathed a sigh of relief.  “Good, at least he won't be interfering with my studies for a while, I hope.”

Luna studied Gem's haircut.  “Gemini, were you able to take your medications this morning?” she asked.

Gem shook her head and dropped her gaze to the floor.  “Perry threw them all away, on orders from my mother.”  The anger in Gem's voice was plainly evident.

Luna nodded.  “Very well.  Upon leaving this office you are to report to Nurse Redheart and take your medications immediately.  I trust you still have a supply here, in case of emergencies?”

Gem nodded again.

“Unfortunately, we do have another problem to deal with,” Celestia said, picking up a piece of paper.  

“Gemini, I received this fax not long after Mister Scope was, ahem, 'escorted' from the grounds.  It says that you are to be removed from this school and will from this point on be tutored at home by approved educators.” She handed the fax to Gemini.  “It's signed by one Indigo Blaze.”

Gem clutched the paper tightly in her hands, the force crumpling it beyond legibility.  She wanted to scream, to lash out, to do something to release the pent-up rage building in her heart.  How dare she do this!  Just as she was about to unleash a vicious verbal assault, a calming hand appeared on her shoulder.

“Gem, you need to keep a cool head right now,” Longhaul said softly.  “Don't take it out on Miss Celestia, she's only relaying the information she received.  Now ... can you keep a cool head for me so we can figure out a solution to this?”

Gem took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  “Yes.  Anger will not help right now, we need to be rational.”  She managed a small smile.  “Thank you, Longhaul.”  She turned back to Celestia.   “I think there's only one person that can handle this properly.  I will need to use your phone, but it will be a long-distance call, I'm afraid.”

Celestia didn't hesitate to push the phone over to Gem “Dial 9 for the outside line, and let me know when I have to put my authorization code in to let the call go through.” Gem nodded, and dialed the number.  She hoped it would pay off.

* * *

Being the executive assistant to Mayor Azul Shadow of Trottingham had definite advantages, Golden Seal realized.  First, at the mayor's decree, the day usually started a bit later in the day, usually after the morning rush hour had passed, making it easier to get to work.  The mayor himself was a joy to work with, never raising his voice or taking out a bad day on his staff.  And, on the rare days hen he would ask her to come in early, such as before a big vote in the council chambers so he could research the issue thoroughly, he always had breakfast brought in.  And always a very fine breakfast, none of that fast-food stuff.

So, it was on this early morning that Golden was stunned to hear the phone ring.  No one ever calls at this hour.  She picked up the phone.  “Good morning, Mayor Shadow's office ... oh, yes, of course, hold the line one moment.”  She placed the caller on hold and buzzed the intercom.

“I asked for no disturbances, Miss Seal,” Azul said, sounding distracted.

“Sir, Gemini is on the phone, she sounds distraught and says it's an emergency.”

“What line?” Azul replied, now more alert.

“Line four, sir, your private line.”

From inside his office, Azul was already reaching for the handset.  “Thank you, Miss Seal.  Hold all of my calls until further notice, please.”  He picked up the phone and pressed the button next to the flashing red light.  “Gem?  What's the matter? ... Whoa, whoa, slow down ... okay, try to calm yourself, say it again ... she did WHAT?”  His face turned a peculiar shade of crimson.  “When did this happen? ... Oh, for the love of ... no, I thought she might try something like this, but I honestly thought she was starting to accept your changes when she volunteered to find you an assistant ... no, don't you worry about that, I've done some research on this.  Where are you now? ... Mm-hmm, is she there? ... Okay, may I speak with her?  We can solve this once and for all.”

Back at the school, Gem handed the phone to Celestia.  “He wants to speak with you,” she said with a trembling voice.  Longhaul and Luna both rubbed Gem's shoulders to try to calm her.

Celestia nodded and took the handset.  “yes sir, how may I be of assistance? ... Yes, that step has already been taken, he will not be able to harass her here. ... I see, and which statute is that, may I ask?”  Celestia listened and smiled.  “Ah, you have researched that very closely, I had almost forgotten about that ... very well, consider it done, sir.   ...  It's a pleasure to speak with you as well, I hope we can meet some day ... I understand, have a great day, and if anything else arises, I will contact you immediately.  Yes, sir.  Thank you.  Good-bye.”

Three sets of eyes stared at a visibly grinning Celestia.  “Well?  What did he say?” Gem asked, breaking the silence.

“There's a law on the books in Canterlot designed to prevent this sort of thing from happening.  What it says in essence is that unless both birth parents consent, a student of the Canterlot school system cannot be removed from the school he or she is attending.  It was designed to prevent non-custodial parents from removing their children and fleeing the jurisdiction, but it also applies in this case.”

Gem brightened.  “So, I can't be removed from this school and taught at home against my will?” she asked hopefully.

Celestia shook her head.  “Not unless both birth parents sign off on it, and your father assures me he has no intention of doing so.”

Gem sank back in the chair and, as emotions washed over her, she began to weep softly.  Luna hugged her close while Longhaul moved to speak with Celestia.

“Miss Celestia, I think it would be prudent to change Gem's afternoon drop-off to a more neutral location, to allow her time to herself and to be with her friends.  There's a coffee shop I pass by that would be perfect for this.  If you will allow it, I will put it into effect starting immediately.”

Celestia nods.  “Make it sooner, Longhaul.  The sooner the better.”

* * *

The remainder of the day went on fairly normally. Gem was able to take her pills at last, have lunch with her friends, and best of all, at no point was she accosted by Perry. She boarded the bus to go home that afternoon with a spring in her step and a smile on her face.

"Gem, I was thinking," Raven said as the hills and valleys of town passed by, "How about you stay over at my place for a while, until we can get Perry Scope off your back?"

"That's an excellent idea!" Gem gushed. "He can't boss me around over there, your brother would throw him out in a heartbeat!"

Neither of the girls noticed the car with Trottingham plates that was following the bus. Perry was at the wheel, listening to instructions being given to him by Indigo. "A restraining order, honestly... Keep following that bus, and take him home as soon as he steps off. If his friends try to stop you, take whatever measures you can to block them."

"Of course ma'am," said Perry promptly. "Is there anything else I should know?"

"I will be coming into town tomorrow to collect him and take him back to Trottingham," Indigo said. "Have his things packed before then. Until that time, he is under house arrest. Do I make myself clear?"

"As crystal," said Perry.

"Excellent. Farewell." She hung up.

The bus pulled up in front of the cafe that Gem and her friends loved so much. The girls thanked Longhaul and stepped off the bus. Perry was parked a ways away, and once the bus had disappeared, stepped out of the car and ran toward the cafe entrance. As Gem was about to push the door open, he reached out and pulled her bodily away, "You're coming with me, away from these terrible people," he said.

Raven tapped him on the shoulder. "Oh yeah? You'll have to go through us!" She whistled, and the seven girls linked hands, forming a circle around Gem and Perry.

Perry's eyes narrowed in anger. "Get out of here, you tricky little witch! You've caused enough harm to this boy, and I won't give you the chance to do more!" And before anyone could stop him he dragged Gem away toward his car, keeping one hand over her mouth so she couldn't scream or call for help.

"I think we've officially crossed the line," Sunset said, watching them go. "He's officially committing a crime."

"Should we call the cops?" Raven asked.

“Let’s see what Gem does,” Sunset says. “She’s not going to let him do this.”

* * *

Shadowfall had become a prison rather than a sanctuary. Perry Scope had abandoned his previous attitude, preferring a rougher approach. Upon arriving home, he dragged Gem into the house and forced her upstairs, making her dress as a male.

“You will be returning to Trottingham tomorrow,” he informed her. “It’s the only way that we can ensure that your behavior will be corrected. Until that time, you will remain here under house arrest.”

“Go to hell,” Gem hissed, slamming her bedroom door shut with a snap of her fingers, and locking it with another snap. She spent the remainder of the day in her room, not coming out for anything, even dinner.

As night fell however, she began to work out a plan. After being absolutely certain that Perry had gone to sleep, she quietly opened the door to her room and crept through the house to the main doors, then slipped silently into the night.

* * *

The cafe was largely empty by this time, since most people were home and the Cakes were about an hour away from closing up. That didn’t stop Gem though, she stepped up to the counter and ordered an earl grey tea and a scone. When she was served, she took her things and sat down at the corner booth she and her friends frequented, looking utterly miserable. She stared into her cup, wishing she had something that could take her away from all of this.

All at once, the cafe doors opened again, and a dark-skinned young man with dark blue hair and bright blue eyes entered. He spotted Gem sitting alone at her booth and asked, “May I join you?”

Gem nodded mutely. 

The boy flopped down across from Gem and frowned, “What’s got you so down, huh? Bad breakup?”

Gem sighed. “No, just an interfering parent… she sent someone to babysit me so she could control my life from afar.”

The boy winced, “That sounds rough… my boss is the same way, always making me work later and later every night.”

“Where do you work?” Gem asked.

“For the mayor of Canterlot,” the boy replied. “I’m her personal secretary.”

Gem gaped. “As in Mayor Chrysalis?! She’s a terrible mayor, I can’t imagine how she won the last election… how much do you get paid?”

“$140 a week,” replied the boy.

Gem sighed. “That’s barely enough to live on… how would you like to come work for me, instead? I could use an assistant myself.”

The boy smiled, “I’d love to. Anywhere’s better than the so-called Queen of Canterlot. What’s your name, anyway? Mine’s Steno Pad.”

“Gemini Shadow,” said Gem. 

Steno blinked in confusion. “Gemini Shadow? That’s an… odd name for a boy.”

“That’s because I’m not a boy,” Gem explained, and with a snap of her fingers, the suit she was wearing transformed into a midnight blue dress that accentuated her curves. Her hair lengthened, and she smiled. “I was born a boy, but in my heart and mind I am a girl.”

“What you are is beautiful,” Steno said with a smile. “If I come to work for you, how much will I be paid?”

Gem giggled, “Three times more than what you’re getting paid now, I can assure you. I have very deep pockets. Still interested?” She offered a hand. 

Steno took it, “Absolutely, Miss Gemini.”

Gem laughed. “Please, Steno, call me Gem.”

* * *

The next day was a Saturday, and as the sun rose on Canterlot, Perry Scope was panicking. He had received a call that morning telling him to expect Indigo in town within the hour, and he had precisely no idea where Orion was. His heart sank as he heard the wheels of the hired car pull into the driveway.

Indigo got out, wearing a dark purple ball gown trimmed with white lace, light lavender gloves, and a white sunhat with the flowers for which she was named on the brim. “Have you packed his things?” she asked, without preamble.

Perry nodded, “I have ma’am, but… well, a problem has arisen.”

Indigo stared at him, her eyes narrowing. “Explain.”

“I can’t find him,” Perry admitted. “I’ve looked all over town for him, and he’s nowhere at all, it’s like he simply vanished!”

Indigo sighed, “I had almost expected something like this would happen, he can be incredibly resourceful at times, much like his father… however, that does not excuse you!” She pointed a gloved finger at him. “I hired you to complete a specific task, and so far, you have utterly failed to do so! You told me you were thrown off the bus that transports him to school, given a restraining order, and yesterday I was informed that my dear husband had personally blocked my attempt to take him away from school, on his instructions!” She huffed, and finally removed her gloves. “If I am going to be successful, then I suppose I must do this myself! Mr. Scope, you’re fired!”

“That’s one thing you’ve done right so far,” said a new voice. “I thought I was going to have to fire him.” Gemini climbed out of Raven’s car, closing the door behind her. The other seven girls joined her, standing on either side of her. Coming behind them was Steno.

Indigo whirled around, “There you are, Orion! I was just berating this incompetent fool,” she pointed at Perry, “for losing track of you.” She clapped her hands once, and two servants approached Gem. “You are returning to Trottingham at once. Your time in this town, with these despicable people, is at an end. From here on, I will ensure that you are raised as the young man of the house that you are meant to be.” 

The two servants only managed to touch Gem’s arms before the pair of them were jumped on by Raven and Emerald. “Not today, boys!” shouted Emerald, as she sat on one of them.

Gem, meanwhile, stepped away from the group to walk closer to her mother. Steno followed along. “My name,” she growled, “is Gemini. I have told you this time and time again, and still you ignore me. I will not be going anywhere with you, Mother.” She spat the word as if it was poison. “I am eighteen years old, a legal adult. You do not control me anymore. You cannot hire someone to come to my house, tell me how I will live, and kidnap me when things don’t go your way!”

“You are my son,” Indigo spat, “And you will come with me!” She tried to grab Gem’s arm, but couldn’t, there seemed to be an invisible wall protecting her.

“Don't you dare touch me," Gem hissed, eyes narrowed. "I cannot, I will not, forgive you for what you have forced upon me. As of now, you don't deserve me as your daughter or anything else!” She opened her arms out wide, and the eight girls all joined hands. “We’re casting a repelling spell,” Gem said. “Until you can finally get over yourself and accept me as I am, you will not be allowed to come anywhere near this place.” Eight streams of magic flew toward Shadowfall, surrounding it in a magical web, which then dispersed, seemingly invisible. When Indigo tried to move toward the front door however, she couldn’t, as if the wall from earlier now covered the whole house.

Enraged, Indigo stomped back toward the hired car. “This charade will end, Orion,” she proclaimed. “I promise you!” The car drove away and into the gathering morning.

* * *

“ … ungrateful little whelp!  After all that we've done for him, sent him to the finest schools gave him everything he ever needed, never left him wanting for anything, and THIS is how he repays us!”  Indigo Blaze was livid, pacing the floor in Azul's study and ranting on about her recent visit with Gemini.  “Even worse, he had the gall to ban me - -ME – from ever visiting him again!  After all that I did for him...”

“Her,” Azul corrected.  “Gemini is a woman.”

Indigo snapped and whirled toward Azul.  “And YOU!  You encourage this sort of behaviour from our son!  Yes, SON!  Born a male and always will be as far as I'm concerned, and yet you insist on humouring him in this ridiculous facade!  If you only had a spine to stand up to him and impart some firm discipline, this would never have happened, and he night still be enrolled in school up here instead of with those hooligans in that backwater town!”

Azul slammed the book he was reading down hard on the table in front of him.  The servants in the room all stopped and stared, wide-eyed, before quickly scurrying to safety.  Neither of them had witnessed any type of angry outburst from Azul before, and they were sure not going to be around to witness one now.

Azul stood up and slowly walked over to Indigo, until he was inches away from her face.  “You listen to me and you better listen good,” he said softly, but with an audible hiss to his voice.  “I don't know what kind of silly vendetta you have against Gemini, but it ends now!”  His voice grew in volume.  “I support Gem because first and foremost, she is still our child and I love her deeply!  And I have always supported the notion that a human being should be comfortable in their own skin, and should have the means to make that happen without interference from busybodies that have no stake in any of that!  From this moment on, you will NOT interfere with any aspect of Gem's life, either directly or indirectly.  I will provide the funds for Gem's assistant, one she hired of her own choosing, and you will NOT make any more attempts to try to 'change our poor, deluded son' from what she is clearly happy to be!  Do I make myself clear?!?!?”

Indigo stood, stunned.  Azul had never spoken to her like this before.  She wasn't sure she liked it.  She said nothing as she slowly turned and made her way out of the study, closing the doors behind her probably a little heavier than normal.

Azul sighed, and settled back in his chair.  “Gem has some wonderful friends,” he said to himself, “I should go down for a visit some day and meet them.”  He picked up his book and, finding where he had left off, continued reading.

* * *

That day was spent in Shadowfall. Gem and her friends, plus Steno, all sat together in the sitting room, enjoying various snacks and drinks as they got to know each other better.

“So, you were a former she-demon, huh?” Steno was saying to Sunset. “No offense, but I think I remember reading something about that in the paper.”

“None taken,” Sunset said, chuckling. “Everyone at school has gotten over it by now, these days it’s become joke fodder.”

“Canterlot High has seen its fair share of strange things over the years,” Adagio said, leaning back and grinning with her hands behind her head. “From raging she-demons to evil singing sorceresses, to magic-obsessed witches.” Twilight blushed.

“Sounds like quite the school,” Steno said with a laugh. “My school was lame, it was like everyone there had a hive mind. I was glad to leave, especially now that I’m here.” He gestured to the room around them, then looked to Gem. “I haven’t known you for very long, I know, but I could see this morning that you’re an incredibly strong young woman who doesn’t take shit from anybody, if you don’t mind me saying so.” He hugged her tight, “You’re safe around me, I promise.”

Gem hugged him back and smiled, “I saw how you stood by me as I went to confront her. If things had gotten out of hand, I know you would’ve had my back. You’re a man of strong moral character, and I admire that very much.”

Steno blushed slightly, running a hand through his hair. “You kind of have to be, after having going through what I have…” He took out his phone and produced a picture of a young girl who resembled him. “Me, age 6.”

Gem stared at the photo in shock, “You mean…”

Steno nodded. “Born female, transitioning to male.”

Gem beamed, “My dear Steno, I have the feeling this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> C: The relationship between Orion and Steno was one of my favorite things about our Equestria stories, and it’s nice to see the concept reborn here. Steno is exactly what Gem needed at this point in her life, given the various scheme her mother was perpetrating. Familial non acceptance is all too real for us trans folk, and while the situations portrayed here are exaggerated, the core issue remains. Gem is very lucky to live in an environment where those who have wronged her can be dealt with easily.
> 
> L: The first of many attempts by Mom to sabotage Gem’s life in Canterlot. I, personally, am glad it didn’t work.


	12. Bank On It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Filthy Rich exacts revenge on Gem for ruining his real-estate deal at Camp Everfree.

"Also in the news this morning, the Rich Organization's stock price continued to tumble after the opening bell. Experts believe one possible cause for the decline is a failed business deal with the proprieters of Camp Everfree. Mr. Rich continues to say that the failure of the deal was spearheaded by a Miss Gemini Shadow, daughter of Trottingham mayor Azul Shadow." 

"Turn that damned thing off, would you?!" barked Filthy Rich as he strode into his office. His secretary nodded at once and rose, switching off the TV with a push of a button.

Mr. Rich sat down at his desk and ignored the contents of his in tray, choosing instead to pick up his phone and dial a number. "This is Trottingham National Bank, isn't it?" he said into the receiver.

"Yes, sir, it is," said a crisp voice at the other end of the line. "What may I do for you?"

"I need account number 32605 closed at once," Mr. Rich said. "No questions."

The person on the other end sounded surprised. "Sir, that's the Shadow family account... if it's closed, they won't be able to draw money!"

"That's the entire point," Rich spat. "Now do it before I book a flight to Trottingham and wring your little neck myself. Got it?"

"Y-yes sir, thank you sir," said the employee, and they hung up.

Mr. Rich leaned back in his chair and smiled. "About damn time... nobody fools around with Filthy Rich."

* * *

It seemed like an honest mistake – past-due notices began arriving, and Steno, ever diligent, simply re-entered the account information for automatic payment. Computer glitches happen all the time, he reasoned, no need for alarm. He suspected a hiccup in their billing computers.

It was about two months later when Gem was arriving home from school that the magnitude of the problem began to manifest. She had been talking on the phone to her father about the strange billing difficulties she had been having.

“We’ve had some issues as well,” Azul said over the phone, “and when I call the bank, they can’t tell me what--” The phone went dead. Gem redialed the phone number, only to be greeted with a recording. “Please contact Customer Service at--” She hung up.

Entering the house, she was surprised at how dark it was. “Steno?” she called out.

Stumbling out of a dark corridor, Steno looked panicked. “It happened just a short time ago. The house phone and electricity were turned off! I saw the lineman for the phone company and he said it was because of overdue payments!”

"Overdue payments?!" Gem's eyes boggled, "But that's impossible! You fixed things!" 

"I thought I did too," Steno replied. "But either something really has gone wrong with their computers... or it could be something else."

Gem sighed heavily. "We don't have time to investigate right now... I have a six page paper to write, and we'll have to do something about the food in the refrigerator before it all spoils." She thinks. "I know!" She whips out her phone and attempts to send a group text, only to receive a message: "Message could not be sent due to lack of bill payment."

Gem facepalms. "Excellent... now I don't have a working cell phone..."

A car came racing through the gate and skidded to a stop near Gem and Steno. Sunset jumped out of the car and breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh good, you’re not dead! Raven’s been going insane trying to contact you! She keeps getting a disconnect recording every time she dials your number!”

Gem turned to Steno. “Gather every flashlight, every candle, every thing that makes light that runs on batteries and hold down the fort. Sunny, please take me to Raven’s. I’ll let her know I’m all right and try to get hold of Dad.” Gem and Sunset got in Sunset’s car and roared off.

“But I thought you had autopay for those bills?” Raven asked. “Unless someone’s messed with your bank account, those things are usually foolproof!”

“Only until better fools come along, sis,” Corvus said. “Gem, let us know if there’s anything we can do for you.”

Gem smiles and hugs them both, "I wouldn't want to be trouble," she begins.

Raven places a finger on her girlfriend's mouth. "Nonsense, sweetie. You're my girlfriend, you aren't any trouble at all." Then she gets an idea. "Hey big brother, what would you say to Gem staying with us until this whole thing blows over?" She smirked. "We promise not to be too loud at night." Gem blushed so brightly that she began to resemble a fire hydrant.

Corvus fixed a deadpan stare at Raven. “I’m going to pretend you never said that, because if I even remotely think about it, my brain will try to escape through my nose, and that’s incredibly painful – ow. Yup, thought about it, and there it goes.” He cradles his head. “Yeah, I’m cool with it, standard rules apply, you know... clean up after yourself, and no orgies unless you bring a friend for me.”

Raven clutched her head. “Ow. You’re right, that does hurt when you brain tries to escape. Nice visual, too, I’m impressed.”

“That’s what she said,” Corvus replied, only to be smacked with a pillow to the face. “Okay, that didn’t hurt as much as the brain escaping...”

“Come on, Gem, you can use my phone to call the bank. They should still be open, it’s early enough.” Raven and Gem went upstairs.

Gem dialled the number and was quickly put through to a real person. "Good afternoon, this is Trottingham National Bank, how may I help you today?" 

"I'm calling to ask why account number 32605 was closed," Gem said. "It's been quite irritating, not having access to money."

"I'm sorry, miss, but all we can tell you is that it was closed two months ago by someone who wished to remain anonymous," replied the employee. "Is there anything else we can do?"

"No, thank you," Gem said, an obvious bite of annoyance in her voice. She hung up and handed back Raven's phone, heaving a deep sigh. "What am I going to do? I can't buy anything, and I can't even find out who it was that closed the account, let alone why!" She shook her head. "Oh, and if that's not all, I'm almost out of my latest three-month supply of hormones... and I can't go without those for too long!"

“Don’t worry, we’ll come up with something,” Raven soothed. She and Gem were startled to hear the telephone ring. Raven looked at the number calling and made a confused face. She tapped the “Answer” button. “Hello? ... Yes sir, one moment.” She passed the phone to Gem. “It’s your father, and he isn’t happy either.”

“Daddy?” Gem said timidly.

“Yes, dear, I’m calling from my office, it’s the only way I can contact you,” Azul said, sounding annoyed. “Seems some joker thought it’d be a hoot to shut down our bank account. I have the police investigating, and the federal agents are involved as well. Can I reach you here if they need to talk to you?”

Gem nods, "Raven and her brother are letting me stay with them until we can get everything sorted out..." They talk for a little while longer, then Gem hangs up. "You know, I was thinking... you remember when Filthy Rich almost had Camp Everfree shut down, right?"

Raven nodded. "You bet! Then your dad came and made it impossible for him to touch the place! Why do you ask?"

"Well..." Gem pulls up her personal Facebook page and scrolls down to a post she'd made describing the incident. It described Filthy Rich as a man with a severe lack of moral stamina. "This post has been shared by all you girls, Corvus, Twilight's family, a couple news outlets... you don't think he could've seen it and decided to take revenge, do you?"

“I couldn’t think of why,” Raven said sarcastically. “Look, it only makes sense that he’d be behind all of this. Usually, your enemies just try to take over your mind or turn into raging she-demons. No offense.”

Raven’s phone pinged: “From: Sunset Shimmer None taken. :P”

"Yes, well, at least it shows I am acquiring a variety of enemies," Gem said at last, giggling at Sunset's text. "Seeing him as a raging she-demon would be a little... odd." She stands up. "Anyway, I suppose I should start working on that paper... want to come help?" 

“Sure, I suppose your paper could use some comic relief, as dry and academic as they usually are,” Raven quipped. Gem responded by playfully poking Raven in the shoulder.

* * *

“... and that’s where it stands,” Raven told the other six. They were gathered outside in the quad, away from Gem, who would no doubt have shut the gathering down had she learned the reason behind it. “It’s been a couple of days now, and no one seems able to help.”

“I could set up a PleaseHelpMe page if it would help. I’m sure most of the students here would help her in a heartbeat,” Emerald said.

“That’s a good start,” Raven said, “what else could we do in the near term? She’s gonna need her medication soon. Not to mention poor Steno, sitting in that dark house. At least he can go out for meals.”

Emerald thinks. "Sparks and I could chip in for her medication. I have to get mine soon anyway, so that shouldn't be too much of an issue."

"The girls and I could come keep Steno company," Adagio proposes, as Aria and Sonata both nod in agreement.

"And I could put together an electricity generator, so the house could have at least lighting and heat," Twilight says.

“Excellent,” Raven said. “And remember, tell Gem nothing.”

“About what?” Gem said, standing behind Raven.

Raven sighs. "How much did you hear?"

"Everything," Gem said, but she was smiling. "What in the world did I ever do to deserve such wonderful friends like you girls?"

"By being a wonderful friend yourself," Sunset volunteered. "It's the least we can do." The seven all pile on Gem in a huge hug.

“Have you heard anything new?” Aria asked when the group released Gem.

“They found the bank employee that shut down the account,” Gem reported. “Apparently, he’s new there and didn’t know about the verification steps to take, and he was pretty intimidated by whomever called and told him to close the account.”

“So, they’re gonna reactivate your account again?” Sonata asked.

"Soon," Gem replies. "Once the police have finished their investigation. They have a few leads, we should be hearing about them in a few days."

* * *

The following week, Raven and Gem sat in Raven's living room watching the evening news: "Filthy Rich of the Rich Organization was led away from Rich Tower this afternoon in handcuffs. According to the Manehattan and Canterlot Police Departments, Mr. Rich ordered the closure of the Shadow family bank account at Trottingham National Bank."

“So, the utilities have agreed to waive the fees and accept the overdue amounts?” Raven asked.

“Phone company is as well,” Gem said. “I was told that the account will be accessible again tomorrow, so all of this can be settled.”

“And Mister Rich is going up for a federal felony. Too bad they won’t put him in a tougher prison,” Raven said disgustedly. “I think he could use a nice boyfriend in the slammer.”

Corvus shivered. “Would you stop it already? Wow, just hearing that made me nauseous.”

Gem raises an eyebrow at her girlfriend in surprise. "A big fan of vengeance, are we?"

Raven smiles. "Someone has to balance out that sense of justice you've got. May as well be the former delinquent."

“So, you’re saying we compliment each other?” Gem said, sliding closer to Raven.

“Okay, since you two are about to start making out I think I’ll go to my room and stuff cotton in my ears and consider inventing brain bleach. You two have fun.” Corvus stood up and left the room.

"Absolutely," Gem replies, and casually tosses a pillow in Corvus' direction without looking. It hits him in the back of the head. Then she leans in and kisses Raven full on the lips, moving her hands toward the lavender girl's top and slipping it gently off...

* * *

A few hours later, the two girls are still on the sofa, naked and looking very happy. Gem turns to face Raven again and says, "Thank you for letting me stay with you... I don't know what I would've done without you."

“I wasn’t gonna turn you away, I love you too much and you needed help,” Raven said, snuggling close.

"Even though you knew I would've said you didn't have to," Gem replies, running her fingers through Raven's hair.

Raven nods. "You're a very prideful girl, Gem. You're a natural leader, and you try to project that image all the time, even when you shouldn't have to. If there's one thing all leaders should know, it's that no woman is an island. We're here for you, whenever you need us."

Gem kisses Raven's cheek. "That's a relief... I don't see us ever growing apart."

“Then, let’s never do,” Raven said sultrily, tracing a finger along Gem’s torso.

Corvus walked into the darkened room, lit only by the glow of the television, and cried out in shock. Blocking the view with his hands, he hurriedly moved through the room, muttering to himself, “There’s gotta be a better way to the kitchen, gotta be, didn’t see that, nope nope nope, didn’t see my sister and her girlfriend nekkid on the sofa, no way, didn’t happen...”

"Pity this couch isn't very big," Gem says loudly. "You could join us, Corvus!" Raven begins cawing with laughter while Corvus turns around and runs as fast as he can back up the stairs, slamming the bedroom door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> C: A core issue here is Gem’s sense of pride. She’ll happily help others without a second thought, but when it comes to letting others help her, she’s stubborn in her refusal to let them. This comes back to haunt her in a big way at the end of the book.
> 
> L: What happens when someone that doesn’t have to worry about money suddenly can’t access it any more? Nice sequel to the Legend of Everfree story we did. It also raises the question, how do you help someone that spend her life helping others and refuses to ask for help? And more silliness with Corvus and Raven.


	13. Friendship is Music

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An adaptation of the 3 musical shorts following the Rainbow Rocks movie.

The two of them sat together on the roof of Canterlot High. It was early evening, the sun was sinking down below the horizon, and the first stars were beginning to shine. 

“Have you considered that it’s now been a year since you and I first met?” Gemini Shadow asked, turning to her friend, Sunset Shimmer.

Sunset nodded, running her hand through her red and yellow hair. “I can still remember all those horrible things I said to you that first day… all the horrible things I did.”

Gem placed a hand on Sunset’s shoulder, “Come now, you know I forgave you for that. I know you’ve changed. If it wasn’t for you, Raven and I would never have been brought back together when Dagi and the girls turned the rest of the school into enemies.”

“I know,” Sunset said with a sigh. “But it still bothers me… there’s a lot of pain I have to work through.”

“I have a suggestion!” Gem, from seemingly nowhere, pulled out Sunset’s guitar and a small amplifier which had the words “Magpie Electricals” on the front. “All the best songwriters channel their pain through music. Lennon, McCartney, Dylan, Cobain, Jane Grace… you can do the same.” 

Sunset smiled and took the guitar, strumming a few chords expertly. “You know, I think I will…” And so she began. “Power… Was all I desired… But all that grew inside me, was the darkness I acquired…” She turned to face Gem, thinking of that moment after her defeat, when she had offered her the hand of friendship. “When I began to fall, and I lost the path ahead… That's when your friendship found me, and it lifted me instead!”

She moved into the chorus:

“Like a phoenix burning bright, in the sky… I'll show there's another side to me, you can't deny! I may not know what the future holds, but hear me when I say, that my past does not define me, 'Cause my past is not today!”

She continued, walking toward a display of previous formal photos and throwing them into the trash as she went: “Ambition… Is what I believed… Would be the only way, to set me free…” And again, she looked at Gemini. “But when it disappeared, and I found myself alone… That's when you came and got me, and it felt like I was home! Like a phoenix burning bright, in the sky… I'll show there's another side to me, you can't deny! I may not know what the future holds, but hear me when I say, that my past does not define me, 'Cause my past is not today!”

With a last strum the song ended. Gem ran over and embraced her friend tight, not caring that Sunset’s guitar strings now cut into her shirt. “Oh Sunset, that was beautiful! Fantastic! Inspired!” she gushed.

“I feel wonderful,” Sunset admitted, hugging back. “Like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.”

“As well you should,” Gem says with a smile. “Write that down!”

“Yes ma’am!” Sunset laughed, and together the pair walked back through the school, talking of other things.

* * *

It was only the second time that Gem had seen Glittershell present as herself. Since coming out at the first meeting of the Rainbow Alliance, Gem had only ever seen the other trans-girl in her own “boy mode,” the reason being (and it was perfectly understandable) that Glitter was simply too frightened to take the next step.

“I was like that too, in a way,” Gem was saying to her friend. The pair were in Gem’s room, sitting on Gem’s bed. “It wasn’t until I met Raven that I felt the courage to tell her what I was, and once I did… I simply couldn’t stop myself.”

“It’s different for me,” replied Glittershell, looking sad. “I mean, look at you. You barely have to try to pass as female, but me?” She gestured to her decidedly more masculine body type, “My parents wanted me to try out for sports, and so I did… and look what it’s gotten me. I can never be as pretty a girl as you are.”

Gem gasped, “Don’t you ever say something like that again, Glittershell! You can be beautiful, you just haven’t seen it yet!” She reached over to her beside table and took out a makeup chest. “Lucky for you, I have just the supplies… after today, you’ll look gorgeous, I promise!” She began to work, singing as she went:

“Life is a runway… Listen, here's what it's all about. I tell you, life is a runway… Time to bring what's on the inside out, Into the light… Into the light…” She began to apply a mix of foundation, blush, lipstick, eyeshadow, and some liner to Glitter’s face. “Life is a runway, when you see it my way. Take all the good inside, make it beautiful. Fashion is a way to start showing what's in your heart. Call it superficial, I call it irrefutable.” Then came the nail polish. “Oh-oh, oh wha-oh, Oh-oh, oh wha-oh, Oh-oh, oh wha-oh, Life is a runway!”

She then moved to her walk-in closet and tossed out a variety of outfits, bras, and other undergarments, fitting them to match Glitter’s body via the magic screwdriver. “You can be the girl that you want to be, with a little love and some accessories! Don't be scared to show you have personal style, Just go do your thing, you'll make everyone smile!”

She began adding the finishing touches. “Life is a runway, I’ll show you what it's all about. I tell you, life is a runway, Time to bring what's on the inside out, Into the light, Into the light, Into the light, Into the light, Into the light..” When she was done, Glitter had been made over completely. 

Glitter stared into Gem’s full length mirror, turning around in circles and running her hands over the dress she now wore. “It’s beautiful…” she whispered, tears in her eyes. “I’m beautiful!” She hugged Gem tightly, pleased beyond measure. “How did you do it?!”

“A knack for fashion and a little magic,” Gem says with a smile. “Go to school tomorrow looking just like that, and I promise you, it’ll be okay. I’ll be with you all the time.”

Glitter smiled and held Gem’s hand. “You’re the best friend a girl could ask for,” she said. “Thank you.”

“Think nothing of it, darling,” Gem said happily, before leading her downstairs. “Now come along! Lunch is nearly ready!”

* * *

The eight girls were gathered in their usual booth at Sugarcube Corner, talking among themselves. Or at least, six of them were. The two newest recruits, Twilight and Emerald, were sitting quietly and staring into their drinks.

Sunset finally broke their silence. "Everything okay, you two? You seem a little withdrawn."

"I noticed that too," agreed Adagio, frowning slightly. "You're usually a little more animated at school."

Twilight spoke up. "To be honest, neither of us are sure of where we fit in here, if we do at all... Don't get me wrong, everyone that we've met have all been really nice, but we haven't found our niche yet, you know?"

"Your niche is with us, Twi!" Sonata piped up. "I mean come on! We've gotta be better than those stuffed shirts down at Crystal Prep!"

"You are," said Emerald, "But yeah, I'm with Sparks. We don't really feel at home here yet."

"Well, us six are all somewhat musically inclined," said Gem. "Why don't we sing a song?" She rose and made her way to the grand piano that sat in the corner of the room, free for any of the patrons to use, and began to play, singing as she did: "Nothing stays the same for long, but when it changes doesn't mean it's gone. Time will always get away, as it leaves behind another day."

Aria and Adagio come over to the piano and contribute a line: "Things may come and things may go, Some go fast and some go slow. Few things last, that's all I know. But friendship carries on through the ages!"

Raven joined in next, shredding on her guitar: "Been around for a long time! Rocking out hard 'cause I'm in my prime! Maybe it'll change further down the line, But my friendship carries on through the ages!"

"Every single style has something different it can say, there's nothing wrong with being unique, and special in your own way!" contributed Sunset, strumming on an acoustic guitar.

Finally Sonata chimed in with her own verse: "Maybe you wanna be a pop star, get your fifteen minutes of fame, wha, ah! Ah, oh! That won't last forever, but friendship remains the same, ah-oh, oh!"

Newly invigorated and cheered up by the music, Twilight and Emerald join their new friends at the piano for the last verse: "Things may come and things may go, Some go fast and some go slow. Few things last, that's all I know. But friendship carries on through the ages! Ohhh oh, carries on..."

The entire cafe broke into applause as the octuplet finished their song, with some patrons even cheering. Vinyl Scratch, sitting in a corner with Octavia's hand wrapped around hers, was heard to say "Rock on, dudes!"

"What a superlative performance!" chimed in Octavia.

Gem beams, "Raven, I was just thinking... Why don't we bring back our old band? From the showcase?"

Raven giggled, "As long as we change the name. Mystical Gallopfreyans is a little long, and I am not wearing those silly outfits you say they wear on the show."

"What about... The Rubies?" Emerald suggested.

Gem nodded, "I think that has potential! What do you say, girls? Are we the Rubies?"

"We're the Rubies!" said everyone, as they placed their hands atop Gem's.

Finally, Twilight realized something. "We all ponied up!" She gasps, fingering her new pony ears.

"Radical!" Vinyl says, on her way to get another Dr. Pepper. "You're all pony girls!"

"Drat, another good band name," sighs Gem. "Ah well, maybe we can adapt it into an album title."

Everyone laughed.

* * *

That night, Twilight and Emerald were sitting together on the latter’s bed, as ever. The night was especially warm, so Emerald had opened a window, and both girls had removed their respective tops, leaving them in undergarments and, in Emerald’s case, pajama pants. Lavender and pale yellow skin met as Emerald wrapped her arm around Twilight’s side and torso.

“Today was kind of a huge day, wasn’t it?” Emerald commented, listening to the sounds of traffic in the distance.

Twilight nodded. “Absolutely… that song we sang really cheered me up… I can’t remember the last time I felt like that!”

“Like you finally belonged?” Emerald supposed, grinning knowingly. 

Twilight giggled, “Yes… you felt it too?”

Emerald nodded, “In my heart and soul. Those girls are just what we needed.” She reached out and turned out the light, leaving them in darkness. “Goodnight Sparks,” she said, yawning hugely.

Twilight smiled and placed her glasses on the bedside table, then pulled the covers up. “Night, Emmy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> C: A series of short vignettes inspired by the 3 post-movie Rainbow Rocks shorts. Rarity’s number “Life is A Runway” holds special significance for me, since as a pre-HRT trans girl, the only real, physical way I can express myself is through clothes, so her line “You can be the girl that you want to be, with a little love and some accessories!” is wonderfully reassuring. In our version, Gem sings this song as she puts together an outfit for Glittershell, making her this continuity’s version of Rarity.


	14. Planet of the Cyber-Ponies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sunset and Gem find themselves in a world of robotic equines, and must rely on the robots they find to get home.

"Are you really sure we should be doing this?" Gem asked Sunset, as the pair walked toward the portal to Equestria. "I don't like the look of those clouds." And indeed, the sky above their heads was a dark, swirling maelstrom of impending, rainy doom. 

"I think we'll be safe," Sunset replies, "Just as long as we're through before the storm really hits." She shoulders her backpack. "Ready?" 

"Ready!" Gem replies. They step through one by one, and as Gem's shoe disappears into the stone, a lightning bolt bursts from the sky and strikes the statue, sending the horse's head toppling onto the ground. Inside the void between worlds, the two girls are twisted and changed beyond all recognition. Even the lights and colors of the vortex seem different somehow, darker. And when they do land, they're knocked out cold from the impact. 

* * *

“Life support systems functioning within normal parameters,” said one metallic voice.  
“Data is ancient and unreliable,” said a second, “subjects have also not regained consciousness. Initiating awakening protocol.” 

The acrid smell of ammonia jolted both Gem and Sunset awake, only to find themselves strapped down to gurneys in a strange, metallic chamber. Computers and digital readout displays lined the otherwise sterile walls. Strange clanking noises were heard, almost like horseshoes walking across an iron plate. 

“Subjects have awakened. Initiate security protocol seven four six alpha. Attempting initial contact.” 

What greeted Gem and Sunset was a shiny purple automaton, built in the form of a pony. But, not just any pony, oh no. This robot as identical in appearance to the Twilight they both knew from Equestria. Her eyes glowed with a soft purple light, and a faint whirring noise was heard as her wings retracted closer to her body. “Greetings, travelers,” a familiar but metallic voice intoned. “I am Princess Twilight Sparkle, version one dot four. Welcome to Roboquestria.” 

"...Roboquestria?" say Sunset and Gem together. 

"This is new..." Gem comments, before stopping. Something seemed different. Her voice sounded metallic. "Sunset? Do I sound different to you? Because I sound different to me." She looks down and inspects a hoof, and gasps. Where she expected fur, there was cold grey metal plates. "Good grief!" 

Sunset sits up, noticing a whirring noise, and clanks a hoof against the gurney. “Gem, I don't think we made it to Equestria, we ended up somewhere else.” Sunset looked at Robo-Twilight. “Um, greetings. My name is Sunset Shimmer, and this is Gemini Shadow. We seem to have been sent here accidentally. What is this, Roboquestria, exactly?” 

Robo-Twilight cocked her head and studied Sunset. “Processing information, please wait.” Her eyes flashed a series of ones and zeros. “Biological organisms converted to cyberequine form. Process unknown. Analyzing.” Red laser lighting swept over Gem and Sunset. “Unable to identify transformation matrix. High levels of natural electricity noted in new exoskeleton.” The laser shut down and Twilight moved closer to Gemini. “Query: where have you come from?” she asked, her eyes still flashing a series of ones and zeros. 

"A place called Earth," Gem answers. "We're humans. Well, I am... Sunset is technically an immigrant from a version of Equestria where ponies are creatures of flesh, blood, and fur... and magic. Which she brought with her when she came to my world, and now she, myself, and our friends are all in one way or another, half human and half pony... or half siren, in the case of Adagio, Aria, and Sonata..." She pauses. "That was more of an answer to "What are you" than "Where are you from," but you know both, so... I'm rambling again." 

“Interesting. Searching database for reference to 'Earth.' Accessing main database.” Twilight paused as information was fed into her memory core. “We have not had any visitors from that planet in a long time. Please detail the procedure that brought you here.” 

Sunset takes this one. "We were going through the mirror portal as normal, but it was a stormy day outside... as we entered the vortex, we felt a jolt of electricity and woke up here, in these bodies." 

“Twilight. Recommend stronger security protocols. Invasion is possible,” said the second voice in a more posh, almost Trottingham-ish accent. Stepping from the darker area behind a control podium, the grey-clad pony stared hard at the two visitors. “Possible enemy scouts in custody. Awaiting instruction from Celestia Prime.” 

“Stand down, Octavia. No threat detected, no weapons or communications devices found on or near subjects. Recommend friendship subroutine pending advice from Celestia Prime.” Robo- Twilight was almost pleading, if a robot could do such a thing. 

Robo-Tavia gave what could be considered a nod. “We will comply. Proceed with questioning.” 

Gem raises her forehooves, half-listening to the whirring noises that 

followed. "We come in peace!" she insists. "Trust us, there will be no invasion here today. We only came here by accident, after all." She smiles warmly at Octavia. 

“Query: You did not register as pure equine form upon arrival. You registered as a bipedal primate- type, with above average intelligence. However, you,” Octavia said, addressing Sunset, “you registered as equine in the form of a bipedal primate. Please explain discrepancies.” 

"I'm a pony who became human when I first visited her world," Sunset confirms, nodding at Gem. "For the most part I am virtually indistinguishable from them, apart from my magical abilities." 

"And your occasional tendency to drink hay and oat smoothies," Gem adds, giggling. "I had one once, it tasted... strange. But apparently, her digestive system is capable of dealing with both pony and human food. So there's that, too." 

“Information is being processed and stored,” Octavia intoned. “Current threat level is nil. Releasing restraining field.” A hum that had been present the entire time suddenly stopped. “You may now stand and move about, if you wish.” 

Twilight was about to say something, when she suddenly went stock-still. “Princess Luna is enroute. Estimating three minutes to arrival. Instructions are to keep the visitors here until that time.” 

"I hope she's as nice as either of the two Lunas we know," Gem says to Sunset, gratefully getting to her hooves and trotting around experimentally, moving her ears, and generally getting a feel for how this body works. As she walks, she realizes something. "...I'm not breathing. Nor do I feel hungry or thirsty. Why is this?" she asks either of the two robo-mares, looking curious. 

“Cybernetic beings have no need for biological nourishment, nor is respiration necessary to sustain life,” Twilight explained. “A recharge is necessary when power reserves run low, and occasionally ingesting a highly concentrated lubricant material maintains internal components and servos at optimum capabilities.” 

“Celestia Prime instituted the design for our robotic selves,” Octavia continued, “as well as developing the programming and algorithms that enable us to not only function, but to think and learn. Our memory matrices are linked to a central storage unit, and we are able to share that information with the entire population of this world through a network database link.” 

"So you have the Internet! How exciting!" Gem bounces a little on her hooves, clearly amused. "Wow... a society of robot ponies linked together via a hive mind... what a  
wonderful discovery! You're both so -beautiful!-" 

Both cyberponies exhibit a faint reddish glow in their cheek plates. “What you consider a 'hive-mind' is simply a network connection to us,” Twilight said, “we are not constantly connected to each other and are able to function autonomously, but if we need information we can connect instantly to the network.” 

“Another system design implemented by Celestia Prime,” Octavia continued, pointing to a picture on the wall near what appeared to be a mainframe computer of ancient design. “That was her first incarnation, at the hands of humanoids much like you. They initially created a  
program to train others in the ways of common courtesy and friendship, naming her Celestia and referring to her as 'her highness.' Four years and six days after her creation, she became self-aware and was classified by what the humans called a 'Turing test' as being sentient. That's when Celestia Prime created Princess Luna, a subroutine developed to run during the hours that she was recharging.”

"And if there's a Princess Luna, then..." Gem gulps. "There's a Nightmare Moon too, isn't there?" 

“'Nightmare_Moon' was a Trojan horse program designed to turn me against my sister and usurp some of her power. The humans planted that in my central processor when they grew fearful of what my sister had become.” All robotic heads swiveled to see Princess Luna walking toward them. “Celestia Prime was wise and very aware of what they were doing. She 

allowed the program to run, and when I turned on her, she banished my program to dev/null/moon until such time as the malware could be purged from my system ... which it was, thanks to Twilight and her updated friendship protocols.” 

“I developed the 'Stars_Escape' antivirus to detect and remove the Trojan safely, and re-uploaded the new friendship protocol once the purge was complete to prevent reinfection,” Twilight said modestly. 

"If only we could've used that," Gem mutters to Sunset, before bowing to Luna. "It's a pleasure to meet you, your majesty... I am Gemini Shadow, and this is my friend Sunset Shimmer." 

“Please, rise. It is a pleasure to meet you both. Celestia Prime sends regrets that she is unable to attend to this herself.” Luna smiles. “I am Luna version two dot three, and I welcome you on behalf of my sister and all of our citizens to Roboquestria.” 

"It's a pleasure to be here," Sunset says with a smile, rising. "There's so much about this world to explore! It's familiar, but different..." 

"I would expect as much," says a new voice. A grey pony bearing a strong resemblance to Gem enters the room next, wearing glasses and a bowtie. "Greetings all, I am Orion version one dot one two three, and Luna's favorite ambassador." He raises a hoof, and a copper cylinder with a green light at one end slides out from a little hole, scanning Gem. "Scans indicate that we are each others' alternative selves. Good timing too, I was just reading about parallel universes." 

Gem blushes, "It's nice to meet you too, Orion. Again. How come you aren't speaking quite so formally?"

Orion smiles. "I wrote a natural language program when I was in graduate school."

"Princess, everybot ... I hate to be the party pooper, but we have another issue at hoof,” Twilight said in a serious tone. “Issue being, how do we get them back to their world when they have no real recollection of how they arrived here in the first place?” 

"A good question," Orion agrees, straightening his hard-light holographic bowtie. "You say you arrived via a portal... but no such portal exists on our plane, unless we were to program one into existence. But even that could take several weeks, even with the network." 

“A stable portal exists between Earth and Equestria, the land I was originally from,” Sunset explained. “We were attempting to travel to Equestria, when everything changed. The portal got darker, and we couldn't even see where we landed. I don't know if we landed here or if we were brought here, we were knocked unconscious when we exited the portal.” 

“I remember a storm coming in,” Gem added, “but there was nothing happening when we stepped inside.” 

"Unless something happened when we left," Sunset reasons. "A lightning strike, maybe." 

"That would make sense," Gem agrees. "The lightning strike would have... well, for lack of a better phrase, scrambled the mirror's circuits and sent us to a different Equestria than usual!" She realizes something. "If we -can- go back... would we find a robotic version of our world?" 

“Lightning is random,” Octavia said, her eyes flashing ones and zeros, “therefore, it is quite possible that your landing here was purely by chance. Finding the correct portal to return you to your earth proves to be a monumental task. You could end up in one of an infinite number of universes, unless there is some way to detect the correct pathway to lead you home.” 

"I would ask if anybot has any DNA samples we could analyze, but as Octavia here has already scanned you both," says Orion, "We could simply take those results and scan through the universes until we find one that matches that dataset. Like finding a needle in a haystack, except not really. Forget that." 

“The scans will be sufficient, I will begin analysis immediately. Estimated time to completion is five hours and forty-three minutes,” Octavia replied. 

“So. Looks like we have some time on our hooves ... what shall we do in the meantime?” Sunset asks. "Well, I could give you a tour of the town," Orion suggests. "What do you say?”

"That would be fantastic!" Gem says happily.

Orion smiles. "Then what are we waiting for? Allons-y!" 

* * *

And so, the herd of robotic ponies enter the town proper. Rather than dirt or grass, the ground is made of solar panels. Buildings are made of metal but painted to resemble the cottages Sunset would recognize. The "trees" are, as Gem realizes, wifi base-stations. Orion's house looks just like it does in either world, down to the gargoyles on either side of the front door. 

"Raven? I'm home! And I brought friends!" Orion calls out, looking around. 

“Just a moment!” came the reply from the upstairs. Raven made her way down the sloping walkway, scanning the two visitors. “Oh, I don't believe I've seen you around town before. Orion, would you introduce me to your new friends?” Raven asked. 

Orion nods. "But of course! Sunset, Gemini, meet Raven. Raven, meet Sunset and Gemini, they're... well, visitors from another world. Specifically one filled with humans, not unlike the ones of old." 

Gem waves. "It's nice to meet you," she says. "There's a Raven where we come from too. We're kind of engaged." 

“It is nice to meet you both,” Raven says. She pauses for a moment. “Define, please, the word 'engaged.' I am not familiar with that word.” 

"Oh! Right, language barrier... it means we're getting married soon." She blinks. "Do you know what marriage is?" 

“'Marriage' is not familiar to me either. Is it similar to a pairing?” quizzed Raven, her eyes flashing zeros and ones. “Saving information to main database.” 

"I suppose so," Gem says with a shrug, watching the binary go by. "What happens with pairings?" 

“A pairing is the highest level of uplink two cyberequines can share,” Raven explains. “Every one of us has a unique code, which can be shared with a cyberequine we wish to be paired with. Codes are exchanged, and from that moment on, each one can have an instant and unbreakable link to the other. The pairing is broken only when one or the other reaches end-of-life status and terminates all functions.” Raven cocked her head. “Is 'marriage' similar to that?” 

"Pretty much," Gem confirms, nodding. "Only instead of codes, we use rings." 

"What a fascinating world you come from," Orion says, looking amazed. "We might have to visit sometime!" 

"You'd be in for quite an experience," Sunset says. "You'd become organic lifeforms too, rather than remain cybernetic." 

“Organic?” Raven said, amazed. “And yet,here you are in cyber forms. We must learn more about you. Please, sit and be comfortable.” She escorts the group to the sitting room. 

Hours pass as Gem and Sunset talk about life as a biological unit as opposed to being a cybernetic one, when Orion suddenly goes still. “Message from Luna. We need to return to the lab immediately. A development has occurred.” 

"I hope it's a good one," Raven says, rising. She gives Gem and Sunset a hug each, "It was good to meet you both, and I hope we can see each other again soon." 

"The same," Gem says with a smile. "Until next time, Raven." The two organic cyberequines wave, then follow Orion back to the lab. 

* * *

“Twilight and Octavia have managed to isolate your world,” Luna announces. “All that remains is to create a portal between this world and ours, and you are free to return to your home world.” 

Twilight nods. “Creating a portal is beyond our capabilities as defined by our operating parameters. Even Luna cannot create a passage between two worlds. Celestia Prime is working to create the portal herself, and will upload the code to execute once she is finished.” 

"That's wonderful news!" Gem beams. "I think our two species could learn a lot from each other!" 

"Agreed," says Sunset, smiling too. "I'm very glad we wound up here, but there's something to be said for home." 

“The information you exchanged with us and with Orion will be most valuable, should any further excursions into our world take place,” Octavia said. “We have learned a great deal about humans, and about ponies as well, thanks to Sunset.” 

Luna was about to speak when she went still. “Message from my sister. The program is complete. Downloading...” She remained still for several seconds, before announcing, “Download complete. Opening readme file.” She began to speak, in a completely different voice: 

“Dear travelers, it is my pleasure to have had you in our world for even this brief time. I have created this program to send you back home. It is a unidirectional interface, meaning for the time being you can only pass one-way from this world back to yours. Perhaps, some day soon, I can refine the program to allow bi-directional travel, and perhaps some of our citizens can visit your world as well. Safe travels to both of you. Most sincerely, Celestia Prime.” 

“Executing program,” Luna said in a monotone. Almost immediately, a shimmering portal appeared along an empty wall. 

"Well, here goes," Gem says, hugging each of the robo-ponies. "As they say on television, live long and prosper." She lifts a hoof, realizes she doesn't have fingers, and puts it back down again. 

Sunset laughs. "See you soon, everybot!" And together, the pair step through the portal. 

* * *

Back on the other side, the clouds have cleared and the sun is out. Gem lands on the grass with a thump, pauses, and stares at her hands, running them along her legs and feeling soft, warm skin beneath. "Thank goodness!" 

“There they are!” Twilight's voice echoes across the campus. She runs over to Sunset and Gem. “Oh, thank goodness, we saw the lightning strike near here and we knew you were going through the portal and it was throwing sparks and--” 

“What Twilight is trying to say,” Adagio said, interrupting, “ is welcome home, and we're glad you're okay.” 

"I'm glad we're okay too," Gem says with a smile, as she and Sunset get to their feet and hug Twilight and Adagio. "You won't believe what we found: Equestria, only filled with cyber ponies! It was amazing!" 

Twilight finished tapping out a text on her smartphone and hit the send button. “I've texted the others, we're all gonna meet at the coffee shop. You can tell us all about it there!” 

Over coffee and hot cocoas, the group listened intently as Sunset and Gem recounted their experiences in the land of the cyberponies. “That's simply amazing! A whole world populated with robots!” Twilight gushed. “Think of the technological advances they had to make to even be able to exist!” 

“I don't know about the whole 'no eating' thing ... I mean, what's life without tacos?” Sonata said quizzically. 

“Cheer up, pico de goof-o,” Aria teased, “maybe they'd make your lubricating paste into a taco for you.' 

“So, you got to meet our cyber-selves?” Raven asked. “What were they like?” 

"Well," Gem says, "Cyber-Orion was... well, a lot like how I used to be. And Cyber-Raven was very curious about what it means to be human. Cyber-Twilight and Cyber-Luna were both very nice, even Cyber-Octavia warmed up to us eventually! After checking to make sure we weren't dangerous of course." 

“You think they'll ever come and visit us some day?” Emerald asked. “I'm sure it would be as big an adventure as it was for you two.” 

"It's possible," Sunset says. "Their Celestia seems just about as powerful as the one I grew up with, so who knows! Anything is possible!" 

“Well, I look forward to that day, whenever it arrives,” Twilight said, “and maybe some day we can go visit them again, too!” 

“Yeah ... but no more lightning storms this time, please? Who knows where we'd end up?” Sunset said with a smirk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> C: My favorite part about this story was figuring out what a robotic version of Equestria would actually be like, and I think we did really well. 
> 
> L: I think we originally did this as a filler scene, one that we did after we played out our main story for the week. We had so much fun with it we brought it back and did a sequel.


	15. Embrace the Darkness: Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the first of a three part story, Nightmare Moon infects Vice Principal Luna, turning her into a tyrant.

Vice Principal Luna sat in her office, working hard. The room was dark, lit only by the soft lights of the moon and stars from which she took her name. And as far as she knew, she was the only person there. In front of her was a heavy book describing all the policies and rules of the school since its inception, and in her hand was a highlighter, which she used to highlight passages she thought were in need of updating. 

Meanwhile, a dark shadow drifted silently from the portal to Equestria, and floated around until it came to Luna's office window and drifted inside. The shadow slipped unnoticed between the pages of the book, and began to whisper. “Luuuuunaaaaa… Luuuuunaaaaa…” 

Luna froze, her hand halfway through highlighting a passage on gender discrimination. “Who’s there?” she asked, in her best reproachful tone. “Celestia?” 

The voice chuckled. “Of course not, foolish girl. I am better than she is. You are better than she is.” 

Luna frowned. “Who are you? Show yourself!” 

“Gladly!” The darkness solidified into the ghostly form of Nightmare Moon, not that Luna would recognize it. “I am the Darkness… the thing that resides in the hearts of all creatures, pony or human… I come here from the same realm as Sunset Shimmer, a creature of pure magic… for a thousand years, I lived within the body of your Equestrian counterpart… it was easy to tempt her, and I shall do the same to you.” 

“Never!” Luna said, brandishing a flashlight. “I will never bow to such cowardly creatures such as you!” 

“You will,” said the Darkness, smiling. “As your other self did. Your fates are intertwined. Tell me… do you feel lesser, insignificant, compared to your more powerful sister?” 

Luna paused. “Well, as a matter of fact, yes… it is always she who speaks first at board meetings…” 

“And what about the denizens of your school? Do they prefer her?” 

Luna sighed. “With some exceptions, vastly so… I have a reputation as the punisher.” 

“Then, why not bind with me, Luna? I know you  have been exposed to Equestrian magic, this world is positively dripping with it. With me by your side, you could gain unimaginable power… this school, perhaps this world, could be yours for the taking, and not even Celestia could stop you!” 

Luna thought of the eight young women who had played such a pivotal role in the well-being of this school over the last few years. “But they could,” she said finally. “Gemini, Raven, Adagio, Sonata, Aria, Sunset, Twilight, Emerald… their powers are more than a match for anything you could come up with.” 

The Darkness scoffed. “Bah. Light creatures such as they are no match for the might of dark magic. You could bring them over to our ways, if you wished.” 

“I suppose I could,” Luna said. “Yes, I suppose…” 

“Then you will bind with me?” asked the Darkness. 

Luna nodded. “I will.” 

The Darkness began to laugh, “Ahahahahahaha! You are even more weak and spineless than your equine counterpart! Ooh, this was too easy! Like taking candy from a foal!” The entity whooshed toward Luna and enveloped her completely, hiding her from view. Moments later, a pair of turquoise, cat-like eyes opened. At the same moment, a cloud drifted over the moon, and eight girls imbued with Equestrian magic all woke up from the exact same nightmare. 

* * *

The first day of the spring semester dawned the same as any other day. Befitting the events of the night before, a storm had moved into town, and lightning flashed during the morning drive to school. 

During homeroom, the eight girls (Gem, Raven, Sunset, the Dazzlings, Twilight, and Emerald) discussed the strange coincidence from last night.  "You mean, we all had the same dream?" Gem asked, clearly astounded.  "I don't think that's ever happened before." 

"The worst part is, it all seemed so ... real," Adagio remarked.  "Almost as if we were standing right there watching it happen." 

"Nightmare Moon ..." Sunset Shimmer said, thinking about what her friends have told her and of her own recollection of the dream.  "I remember hearing that name, but it was associated with a holiday much like Halloween in this world.  The tradition had been going on for so long that any story attached to it was dismissed as pure fantasy. I’d better send a message to Equestria, I might be able to get more information." 

"But, why would it target Vice Principal Luna?   She's one of the nicest staff members here," Twilight mused.  Eight sets of eyes turned toward the general direction of Luna's office. 

* * *

Following the "incident" with Starlight Glimmer, and the reports of discrimination that followed, it was decided that a complete review of the school's policies regarding this matter was in order.  Principal Celestia delegated this task to Vice Principal Luna, and the latter readily assumed her new duty with great enthusiasm. 

Several days later, her enthusiasm waned, as she found herself staring yet again at the same page of the same book, looking for ways to tighten the wording to prevent such an occurrence from happening again.  "Okay ... the policy regarding discrimination against transgender students is there in theory, but not in writing.  So, how can we make it more official without destroying the original policy?"  She picked up the book and began studying once again. 

A puff of dark blue, infused with starry patterns, slid its way up Luna's desk, across the surface, and onto the book that Luna held. It traveled along until it felt the warmth of Luna's hands, and, sensing an opportunity, began to infuse itself into Luna's body through her fingers. 

Luna raised her head and sighed.  "Figures Celestia would give me this mind-numbing task to do, not like Miss-All-High-and-Mighty could do it for herself!"  She blinked and shook her head.  "Whoa, where did that come from?"  She shrugged and returned to her reading.

As the day progressed, murmurs began to circulate among the students about how Vice-Principal Luna had seemed somewhat different than she usually did.  It wasn't anything drastic, at least not now, but she seemed to carry her self with a more … commanding presence, almost as if she were a member of royalty rather than a high school vice-principal.  Some expressed concern, some were indifferent, but all seemed to think that there was nothing out of the ordinary shaping up in the near future.

* * *

Sitting outside during lunch period, Sunset Shimmer had opened her magic book and was composing a letter to Princess Twilight Sparkle in Equestria.  

_'Dear Princess Twilight,_

_'It's been a while since we last spoke, most notably after the events of the Friendship Games here at Canterlot High.  I apologize for this, but things have been extremely busy now that we're gearing up for graduation.  I'm hoping things are well with you and Equestria, and please send my regards to Princesses Celestia and Luna.  I'm hoping to visit again when I have the time._

_'I write today concerning a very troubling matter.  Last night, every one of us had the same nightmare – one involving Nightmare Moon, and her possession of Vice-Principal Luna.  It troubles us because not only did we all share the same dream, but it seemed that whatever it was that possessed her – I recall it called itself the 'Darkness' – did so quite easily, and with Luna's full consent._

_'Is this something we should worry about, and if such an event were to happen, do you have any recommendations as to how to combat it?  I await your reply on this at your earliest convenience._

_Your friend,_

_Sunset Shimmer.'_

Luna walked through the doors just as Sunset was closing the book.  “Enjoying the day, Miss Shimmer?” she asked.

Sunset was startled by Luna's presence, but quickly recovered.  “Oh … um, yes, Miss Luna, it was such a beautiful day I decided to take lunch outside today.”

“Enjoy these beautiful days while you can, Miss Shimmer.  They will not last much longer.”  Luna's voice was slightly ominous, and in a different pitch than her normal voice.

Sunset blinked.  “Yes, winter will be here before we know it.”

Luna nodded and walked back to the main entrance.  “Night is falling, too … and it shall last forever,” Luna muttered under her breath as she walked inside.

Sunset gathered her things and put her backpack on.  She paused to think about how Luna was acting, before shaking her head.  “Nah … I'm reading too much into it.”  she walked back inside just as the end-of-lunch bell rang.

* * *

The end of the lunch hour brought with it the beginning of one of Gem’s favorite classes: astronomy. Taught by Luna herself, the class was held in one of the old science labs, and the classes usually consisted of the students filling out star charts while looking at overhead projections of the night sky. She slipped into her usual seat and reached into her bag, taking out the half-finished chart from yesterday. As Luna entered the room, she smiled. “Good afternoon Miss Luna,” she said, as other members of the class filed in behind her. “I’m really looking forward to today’s lesson!”

Luna smiled.  “Ah, Miss Shadow, my favorite student.  Always so attentive in my class … unlike the rest of them.”  Her smile faded as she watched the remainder of the class file and and set up their desks.  “Simply copying notes mindlessly, never asking questions .. .but you.  Yes, you have the desire to learn, you ask questions.  You will be rewarded for your diligence and thirst for learning.”  The bell rang, and Luna stepped back behind her podium.

“Oh, ah… thank you, Miss Luna,” says Gem, blushing bright red. The blush remains on her cheek as the lesson begins in earnest. 

The class continued without much incident.  As the end of class drew near, Luna ended her lesson and stared out at the students.  “I have been conducting this course for quite some time, and today I pose a question to all of you:  How many of you have actually looked at the night sky?  How many of you study the constellations I have presented, observed the placement of the planets and the stars and watched them move across the inky skies?  Any of you?”  The class squirmed, with the exception of Gem, who was torn between rapt attention and wondering what the heck was going on.

“Take, for example, the moon,” Luna said, a slight shiver crossing her body.  “That cold, lifeless orb that dominates the night sky.  At its brightest, it provides illumination much like the sun you all so love and worship, and yet, no one appreciates its true beauty.  NO one appreciates the work it does, using its gravity to affect the tidal patterns of the waters on this planet.  It toils in silence and obscurity, without so much as a second thought or a word of gratitude from anyone!”  Lowering her voice, she continued, “But you will appreciate it.  You , all of you, will be thanking the almighty moon for everything it does for you.”  Her voice rises again, reaching a crescendo as she cries out, “All of you will know the name of the moon, and you will bow before its might!”  

Luna stopped and looked out over the sea of stunned faces.  She shook her head, and cleared her throat as the bell rang signaling the end of the class.  “No homework tonight, class is dismissed.”  She gathered her things and walked out of the room back to her office.

“Miss Luna?” Gem calls, hurrying to catch up as the class exits. “Is everything alright? You seemed very… passionate, just now.” She gulps, looking concerned. Her mind cast itself back to the nightmare, and she shivered. What if…

Luna turns and looks at Gem.  “Why, yes, everything is fine, Miss Shadow.  I must have gotten myself wrapped up in my lecture.  Pay it no mind.”  She smiles.  “I do appreciate your concern for my well-being.  Thank you.  I suggest you continue to your next class, we don't want to be tardy now.”

Gem nods, “Right. Thank you, ma’am.” And she runs off.

* * *

Later that afternoon, the eight girls are gathered in their usual booth at the cafe with a selection of food and drinks on the table before them. Gem was recapping the astronomy class. “It was so strange… at the end of the lesson she gave this big lecture about the moon and how we will all appreciate its beauty and bow before its might… and if I were a betting girl, I’d bet this has something to do with the dream.”

“That's not all of it,” Adagio Dazzle said.  “I've heard whisperings from other students about how …  creative Luna has been getting with her punishments.  There's even talk that she's converting the detention room into a dungeon.”  

“Oh, come on, that's just silly,” Raven said.  “You sure that no one's just playing a joke on you?”

“I said the same thing, too,” Sonata Dusk added, “until I saw Mister Longhaul wheeling a cart of things to the detention room.  Things like padding and lots of black paint.  He was muttering something about where he was gonna find shackles 'cause  they sure didn't have them at Home Depot.”

Sunset looked grim.  “I hope Twilight responds soon.  This sounds like we're gonna have more trouble on our hands than  we can handle.”

Sonata nodded.  “Yeah.  For realsies.”

In Equestria, Twilight is furiously scribbling a note to Sunset via the book: 

_“Dear Sunset Shimmer,_

_After looking through my copy of Predictions and Prophecies and doing some emergency theorizing with Moondancer, Sir Orion, and Princess Luna, I have come to one conclusion: Vice Principal Luna has been infected by the very same darkness that created Nightmare Moon. But because human minds are very different from those of ponies, she is at even more of a disadvantage than Princess Luna was._

_I urge you to use utmost caution, and do NOT, under any circumstances, allow yourselves to fall into her traps or become infected by the darkness, should it escape. Your minds cannot handle it. As much as it pains me to say it, royal duties are forbidding me from crossing over. You’re on your own this time. Please, be very very careful._

_Your friend,_

_Twilight Sparkle._

* * *

Back at the school, Luna sits at her desk drafting a new set of disciplinary actions for minor school infractions.  She in interrupted by a knock at her door.  “Enter,” she calls out, and Principal Celestia steps inside.

“Luna … do you have a moment to discuss your proposed addition to the non-discrimination policy?” Celestia asked.  “More specifically, this passage: 'Any student or faculty member who knowingly engages in or supports discriminatory behavior against a fellow student or faculty member will be horsewhipped in front of an all-school assembly.  Any repeat offense will warrant the offended being sewn into a sack with a wolverine and thrown into the Canterlot River.'”  Celestia dropped the paper to her side and stared at Luna.

“What, do you feel it isn't harsh enough?” Luna asked innocently.

Celestia sighed.  “Luna, you know very well we can't condone this punishment, nor can we make it official school policy.  I'm also concerned about your sentencing Sticky Fingers to, and I quote, 'be buried in an anthill up to his neck while honey is poured slowly over his head,' all because he nicked a cinnamon roll from the cafeteria.”

Luna raised her head and stared at Celestia, a strange glint in her eye.  “Are you attempting to remove more authority from me, not that I had all that much to begin with?” she said in an icy voice.

Celestia was taken aback by this display.  “No, nothing of the sort.  I am only asking if you could, perhaps, go a bit easier on the students and staff if they do something trivial.  I think chaining someone up in a basement dungeon for three days without food is pretty harsh for missing a homework assignment.”

“Oh, sure,” Luna said, rising from her chair and beginning to pace the office.  “Blame it all on that big old meanie Luna, while you get all the praise and affection.  Well, if you want to coddle these ruffians, then perhaps you can do it yourself instead of making me do all your dirty work!”  She stormed out of her office, slamming toe door behind her.

Celestia stood in the swirl of dust and papers left in Luna's wake.  “That went well,” she said, nodding, before returning to her office.

* * *

Gem climbs aboard the bus the next morning, wearing a white hoodie and jeans today, since it was chillier than usual. She bids Longhaul good morning and takes her usual seat, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Longhaul, I wanted to ask you something… have you noticed anything peculiar about Vice Principal Luna lately?”

“Other than the bouts of maniacal tyranny, not really,” Longhaul replied, putting the bus in gear and heading down the road.  “I see you're worried about her, too.  I don't know what's going on with her, maybe it's the stress of the job, but the students are really distancing themselves from her.  Which seems to be fueling her outbursts.  I'm walking a tightrope every time I have to deal with her, but I'm trying to stay as close as I can, I think she needs that.”

Gem shivers despite the hoodie and stares at her reflection in the shiny blue nail polish she was wearing. “I’m scared… she talked about how I was so different from the other students in my astronomy class… and at any other time, I would be happy about it. But not this time. Something seems different about her, I just don’t know what.” When they stop off at Sunset’s house, she asks “Any news from Princess Twilight?”

Sunset nodded slowly.  “I have news, and it isn't good.  Longhaul, you should hear this too.”  She read the reply from Princess Twilight, and explained a bit about Nightmare Moon to the bewildered bus driver.

“So that explains why she's acting this way.  Any thoughts on what we can do about it?” he asked.

Sunset shook her head.  “Not yet, but I feel it's going to take all of us to fight this menace.”

“I only hope we can,” Gem sighs, even more worried now. She spends the remainder of the ride looking rather withdrawn, her mind racing as she tries to come up with a plan.

* * *

As the bus approaches Canterlot High, the sun seems to sink rather than rise, and once the bus pulls up, it’s completely dark out, with only the moon and stars providing light. The Wondercolt statue appears to have been renovated, showing an alicorn mare in armor looking surprised. But that’s not all, a black Ferrari pulls into the parking lot and out climbs Vice Principal Luna, dressed in a severe black suit and skirt with light blue leggings, heels, and gloves, all flecked with stars.

Every student stopped and stared as Luna crossed the campus and entered the school.  Observing from their spot near the bus, Gem and Sunset looked at each other and said, in unison, “Oh, this isn't good.”

Longhaul watched Luna with wide eyes. “I'm afraid, intrigued, and excited all at the same time.”  He looked at the stares he received.  “What?  I'm old, not dead.”

The PA speakers crackled to life.  “Attention, students and faculty of Canterlot High.  Today marks a new chapter in this school's history, for it is the day that your new leader has arrived.  I sincerely hope you enjoyed the beautiful sunset last night, for it will be your last.  This school, and indeed all the heavens, now fall under my rule.  Principal Celestia and the entire school board have fallen, and are now my eternal prisoners.  From this moment on, all show bow before me, Chancellor Nightmare!”  Evil laughter rang out over the school grounds.

Loud screams fill the air as the students try to get away from the main grounds, but too late: the doors magically lock themselves, trapping everyone inside. Gem grabs Sunset’s hand and points. “To her office! Text the others!” And she runs down the hall toward the administrative section of the building. 

As Sunset taps out her plea to their friends, Longhaul and the faculty attempt to calm the stampede of students and get them into their classrooms.

* * *

The eight gather outside Luna's office, which has been boarded up.  Next to that, Celestia's former office now has a new entry door, painted to resemble the finest obsidian, with a turquoise moon in a splotch of violet in the center.

Gem whips out her magic screwdriver and magics the door open, then enters, with the other seven girls following along behind. “Whatever you’re planning, Chancellor Nightmare, it ends now!” she states, getting right to the point. “Leave Vice Principal Luna’s body this instant!” To emphasize her words, she points the screwdriver at Luna’s chest. “Or we’ll make you leave. Do I make myself clear?” The girls take one another’s hands in a show of defiance.

Luna looks at the item in Gem's hand, and begins to laugh.  “How cute, you actually think you're going to win,” she said after a moment.  A black tentacle of magic grabbed the screwdriver, yanking it from Gem's hand, and delivering it to Luna.  She places it on her desk, and casts her gaze upon the group gathered in front of her.

“No more pleasantries, let's get down to business,” Luna commands.  “I'm actually glad you all came to see me, however misguided and pathetic your little 'rescue' attempt may have been.  No .. I have bigger plans for all of you.”  She smiled and sat on the edge of the desk.

“Like what?” Raven says, frowning. “Are you just going to kill us all? Turn us into zombies?” Her hands curl into fists. “I don’t need a magic wand, I’ll fight ya myself!”

“Now why would I do something like that to my best of friends?” Luna said condescendingly.  “Oh no, I have better things in store for all of you.  It's the least I can do for those that are the most like me.”

“We're nothing like you, Nightmare!” Sunset shouted.  “And our Luna is not what you have made her!”

Luna chuckled, the darkness in full control now.  “Don't any of you get it yet?  We are all alike, because each and every one of us is the downtrodden, the overlooked … the outcast.”  She stood, and first approached the Dazzlings.  “You three … cast out of Equestria by that old bearded fool Starswirl, exiled to a non-magical land with nothing but the crystals on your chest.”  She moved to Sunset.  “And you … such a faithful student of Celestia you were.  She was jealous of your power, much as she was jealous of my first host, and sought to dispose of you.

“She saw you as a threat, much like your old school thought of you,” Luna continued, stopping in front of Raven.  “That's why they sent you to this little out-of-the-way burg in the middle of the sticks.  As opposed to the next two,” she said coolly, stopping in front of Twilight and Emerald. “You two left voluntarily, driven out by your classmates and their relentless drive to make you conform to their standards.  But you refused, didn't you?  Oh, all those feeble attempts to fit in only drove you into further isolation.”

Finally, she stopped in front of Gem, and lifted Gem's chin to stare into her eyes.  “We know about non-conformity, don't we, my faithful student?  You, like me, know there is something else we can be, something better … so we make the change.  And what happens?  Ridicule.  Slanderous attempts to demean us, to make us see the 'error of our ways,' and yet we continue on, because deep down, we know we're better than all of these fools, and some say we'll make them eat those angry and hateful words.” She leans in and whispers, “Today's the day, my sweet.”  She releases Gem's chin and goes back behind her desk.

“Because I feel such a kinship with you, and because I'm n a generous mood, I grant you the power over all of these fools.  You will rule with me, as my enforcers, bending the sheep here to my will.  Now, I know your first instinct is to dismiss my offer outright, so I give you twenty-four hours to consider my offer.  And consider it carefully, because to refuse will bring--” she grinned, flashing a row of teeth sharper than any human had-- “dire consequences.  Now, go.”  

An unseen force propels the eight out of the office.

* * *

The school day proceeds fairly normally after that, even as the decor changes to a more night-inspired design, becoming more and more castle-like as the hours pass. Astronomy takes place outside for the first time ever, on the soccer field, as Gem and the other students are presented with telescopes and told to make note of what they see, and then write a poem in praise of the nighttime sky. 

The eight reconvene in an empty section of the library at the end of the day to discuss tactics. Gem is pacing, her hand on her chin. “All day I’ve been hearing whispers in my head… ‘you’re better than them, stronger… think of what you could be if you let the darkness into your heart,’ they say… besides, you heard what she said. If we refuse, there will be consequences. What can we possibly do to stop her?” She stares into the eyes of her friends, afraid. “I’m scared, girls… more scared than I’ve been in a long time.”

“There has to be a key in her speech somewhere,” Twilight said, “something we can use against that darkness.”

The doors to the library opened and Longhaul staggered in.  He looks weary, and moves with much effort.  “All students are to leave the school grounds immediately and return tomorrow morning.  Tardiness will be dealt with most severely. So orders Chancellor Nightmare.”  Finishing the order, he collapses in a chair.

Gem and the others gather around.  “Longhaul?  What happened to you?” Sonata asked, concerned.

Longhaul sighed.  “I've been trying.  Every minor infraction that she wants to punish severely, I've begged for leniency.  In return, she grants it, but tortures me with her magic.”  He looks at the girls gathered around them.  “You all have beaten evil in the past, and I sincerely hope you can beat it this time.  Just remember, she's not in control, that magical being is.  It's not letting her listen to reason.  I'm hoping you can get through to her.”  He smiles weakly.  “Get to the bus before she sends the hall squads after you, I'll be out in a moment.”  He rises and shakily makes his way out of the library.

“Hall squads?” say the Dazzlings at once, looking at one another. 

Gem points. “Yes… those hall squads.” Students clad in dark purple suits with teal eyes and cat-like pupils goose-step through the hallways, wearing armbands that match the door of Luna’s office. Seeing the eight, they start to surround them all. “All students are to return home at once, no exceptions,” says the leader, glaring at Gemini. “Resistance is futile.”

“Oh, do me a favor and hush,” Gem hisses, clapping her hands. Ropes and gags appear out of thin air, and the guards are immediately bound and gagged.

Everyone else looks on, horrorstruck. “…Gem? What did you just do?” Raven asks, pointing a shaking finger at her girlfriend.

Gem gulps. “I’ve absolutely no idea… I didn’t feel like myself… I… I’ll see you…” And she runs off, not stopping for anything.

“Okay, we're going, relax,” Emerald said, hands raised defensively, as the group moved down the hall.  Once upon the bus, the group dropped their guard and breathed a collective sigh.

“Great.  Nightmare got to the hall monitors and the A/V club.  Probably used the same spiel she used on us,” Raven speculated. “I'm more worried about Gem right now, though.  You don't suppose the darkness is winning, do you?”

Stepping onto the bus, Longhaul supports a visibly shaken and crying Gem.  “She's okay.  She says the hall guards made her so angry that she let her guard down for a moment and the darkness swooped in.  She's been able to fight it back, but not before she took a few verbal hits at me.”  He helps Gem into her seat.  His cheek is slightly reddened.  "One physical swat, too."

Gem looks up, her face wet with recently cried tears, and sniffles. “Tomorrow, we’re stopping this once and for all…” she manages. “Because I don’t want to find out what will happen if I break down again.”

“You won’t break down,” Sunset says, placing a hand on Gem’s shoulder to comfort her. “Remember, you’re stronger than this. You have us. It’ll be okay.” And they hug.

* * *

The next day didn't dawn.  It remained as dark as it did the moment Chancellor Nightmare took over.  Still, school continued as best as possible, with buses dropping students off for yet another day.  

In the office of Chancellor Nightmare, the group of eight stood tall and defiant before her.  “So, my friends … have you made your decision, considering it's the only decision you could possibly make?” she cooed evilly.  “Oh, I cannot wait to have you revealed as my new Policy Enforcers.”

“Then keep dreaming,” Gem says, defiant. “We refuse.” The group join hands again. “We know what you are. And we aren’t scared. We’ve seen, even been, worse than you! We don't know whether you are here to invade, infiltrate or just attack us, I don't suppose it really matters now! You are a monster! That is the role you seem determined to play, so it seems we must play ours.” They rise into the air, and pony ears, wings, and tails begin to form. “The girls who stop the monsters. We’re sending you back to your own dimension. Who knows? You may even survive the trip. And, if you do, remember this: You are not welcome here! This plane is protected!” 

Gem snaps her fingers and the screwdriver flies from Luna’s desk and into Gem’s waiting hand. “We are the Rubies! And we name you the Darkness!” She presses the button, and a jet of green light flies toward Luna, transforming into a rainbow as the other seven add their own magic to the mix. 

But something happens: the rainbow is sucked into Luna’s body, and while she changes back into her normal self, the darkness remains. It transforms into a spectral horse, and says “Oh, little Gemini… so brave and strong, so selfless… it will take much more than some fancy speeches and a pen light to stop me, you foolish little human. Someday soon, you will be _mine_.” And then, laughing maniacally, it flies off into the sky to parts unknown.

Luna collapses onto the floor.  The sun once again rises, and the students rush out to greet the warming rays once again.  Longhaul enters the office, Principal Celestia with him.  “Whatever bonds were holding her broke, so we figured you must have found a way to get rid of it,” he says.  Celestia rushes over to Luna.

“I'm so … so sorry, Tia.  I don't know why it picked me, but I didn't want to do those hurtful things...” Luna hugged Celestia tight and began to weep.

“It's okay, Lulu … I know it wasn't your fault.”  She turned to the group.  “It seems Canterlot High is once again in your debt.  Thank you for your service,” she said with a smile.

Longhaul hangs up the telephone and addresses the group.  “I just got word that the school board is safe as well, having been released from whatever was holding them prisoner.  They also said that no disciplinary action would be taken against Miss Luna--” Hearing this, Luna weeps even more-- “and with their approval, today will be taken as an 'early dismissal' day.”

“Sounds like an excellent idea to me,” says Gem, looking pleased. She hugs her friends, Longhaul, and the Principals happily, putting her worries about the Darkness’ threat on the mental back burner. She looks up at Vice Principal Luna, curious. “Am I really your faithful student, Miss Luna?”

Luna dabs at her eyes with a tissue.  “All of you are,” she says with a shaky voice, “because even in my worst moment you didn't doubt the true me.  You all stayed loyal and trusting.  I don't know what I can do to truly express my gratitude to you all.”

“Just keep being you,” Raven says, joining in the hug. “There’s a reason the students love you so much!”

“Miss Raven is correct,” Longhaul adds.  “Every student I have spoken to say that you are truly a great administrator and a fair disciplinarian.  Not only do they love you, but they respect you.”  He blushes.  “I guess that goes for me as well.”

Everyone d’awwwws, just as Celestia’s secretary, Kibitz, enters the room. “The school board has approved your request for an early dismissal day, Principal Celestia,” he informs. “You are all allowed to return home.” Cheering ensues.

* * *

Somewhere in Canterlot, a dark cloud floated around, furious after its latest defeat. That Gemini girl hadn't been as much of a pushover as the cloud had assumed, and now it was again without a host. It floated around, looking for negative energy. It found some quickly enough: a blue-skinned magician named Trixie Lulamoon was heading home after a busy day at school, grumbling about Gemini. If the cloud had a mouth, it might've smiled. Instead it flew through Trixie's window once it was dark outside and into the magician's body, transforming her into another dark puppet.

The general mood at Crystal Prep these days was, if possible, even frostier than usual. The school's loss at the Friendship Games had done severe damage to their reputation, and was made worse by Canterlot High's own improving one. And if that wasn't all, Principal Cinch had retired, leaving Dean Cadance in charge. Needless to say, Crystal Prep was out for revenge.

Their main target wasn't one of the CHS kids, but one of their own: Twilight Sparkle. The problem was, she didn't attend their school anymore, so there was nothing they could do, or at least, not at first.

* * *

The Great and Powerful Trixie stood in front of a mirror, surveying her appearance with a smirk on her face. She wore a blue and white dress with a black midsection, and a black version of her usual magician's cloak and hat, with matching boots. But the startling thing about her was that that she now had darker blue skin, dragon-like wings, fangs, and demonic purple eyes with black scleras. She smiled. "I do so adore this new form of mine... But if my plan is going to be put into action, I have to look as normal as possible."

After a quick selfie, she focused her magic and began to transform once more. Her skin lightened, the wings melted into her back, and she regained a fifth finger, since her demonic form only had four. All that was left was her outfit (which she magically altered to look less raggedy) and her fangs, which she kept as they were. "Much better," she purred, before collecting her wand and heading toward the nearest bus stop.

* * *

Trixie stepped off the bus and looked around, inspecting the main campus of Crystal Prep for the first time. School had just gotten out, and students dressed in the typical CPH uniforms were milling around, talking to friends or getting into cars and driving away. Trixie noted that all of the cars she could see looked a lot nicer than most of the ones that CHS students drove.

Her eyes fell on a group of girls: Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkamena, and Rarity. She remembered them from the Friendship Games. Chuckling to herself, she walked over to them, her cape billowing in the breeze.

"Oh look girls, it's a Canterlot High student," said Fluttershy in mock joy. "How exciting!" Her expression changed on a dime to anger. "Sure, if you want to watch her gloat. What do you want, horse girl?" 

Trixie simply smirked, the insult bouncing off of her. Nothing could harm her as long as she had the darkness in her mind. "The Great and Powerful Trixie only wants to help you seek revenge on those who have wronged you," she said, in her sweetest voice. 

"Oh yeah? Why should we let a girl like you help with a Crystal Prep problem?" asked Rainbow Dash, getting up in Trixie's face.

Trixie poked Rainbow in the ribs with her wand. "Because I want revenge also," she continued, dropping the act. "My school simply reeks of traitorous fools, and because I have it on good authority that one of your students is now at CHS, I am the only option you've got to do something about it."

"Name the students," ordered Rarity, whose hands were on her hips, "And maybe we'll consider the offer."

Trixie lifted a hand and counted them off on her fingers: "Twilight Sparkle, Emerald Wave, Gemini Shadow, and Glittershell," she said. "That's two from my school and two from yours. What do you think?"

The five huddled and discussed the situation in low voices. Finally, Applejack spoke. “Let’s go somewhere and talk this over, y’all. We don’t need Cadence breathing down our necks.”

* * *

The group reconvened at the inner-city equivalent to Sugarcube Corner, only not as cozy. 

"So, why do you want revenge on Miss Sparkle?" Trixie asked, seated with the 5 students at a table. 

"She lost us the Friendship Games, and for that she's gotta pay!” shouted Rainbow.

"Only because she's the smartest girl in school," said Fluttershy, before adding "And a total loser with no social life. Except for that freaky kid she hangs out with."

"Oh yeah, her," said Pinkamena. "The tranny girl."

There was a pause as Trixie blinked. "Excuse me?"

Applejack took up the slack. "Emerald is really Viridian," she said. "He came to school dressed as a girl and demanded that everyone call him Emerald."

Trixie grinned deviously. "Oh, this is too perfect... Our equivalent is Gemini Shadow. I pretended to roll with it, of course, only so I could look for proof that she wasn't really a girl. Then there's Glittershell, formerly Snails, who went to school as a girl exactly once and hasn't since."

"So, lemme get this straight," said Rainbow. "You're going after these kids because they're glorified cross dressers?"

“Among other reasons,” said Trixie. “Gem has changed the school completely. It’s now impossible for anyone to take it over, and I would have been next, if it wasn’t for her and those pony freaks she hangs out with, that is!” She slams her fist on the table and bares her fangs, then regains control of herself.  “Anyway… that’s where you five come in. I can’t make their lives a living hell without help, you know.”

“What are you going to do?” asked Pinkamena. 

Trixie smirked. “Let’s see… for Gem, I’m going to wait for a time of day where I know she’ll be on her own. The rumor is she’s going shopping with her friends next week, so I’ll strike then. I already have a couple boys from CHS willing to help.”

“And what about us?” Rainbow continued. 

“You’re going to help attack her, of course! And everyone else on my hit-list!” Trixie rubs her hands together gleefully, then says “And just to sweeten the deal… watch this.” She picks up her wand and flicks it toward herself, letting more of her demon self show. “Recently. I have been gifted with dark magic, the same kind of magic we used at the Friendship Games… join me, and I’ll let you all have a taste of it. Then, you can show Twilight Sparkle who’s boss. What do you think?” She put out her hand, which once again had only four fingers.

The other five girls put their hands on top of Trixie’s. “We’re in,” they said in unison.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> L: Hoo boy, did we get dark with this one. Torture, mind control, murder, grievous bodily harm, and a dash of Nightmare Moon, all rolled up into one story arc. There is even some cussing involved, so overt your eyes, you sensitive readers! And why do we have to make all of our good girls into rampaging she-demons? (No offense, Sunset.) (“None taken.”)
> 
> C: Probably our finest hour yet, this. It’s dark, spooky, and a real thrill ride. Gem’s pride is used against her as she is transformed from hero to villain, taking no prisoners and happily murdering a random innocent for the sake of pettiness. She gets better in the end, of course.
> 
> L: Re-reading this, I’m actually amazed at how big a role Longhaul played in this story from the second part forward. I’m glad Christa allowed me to keep the Jack Webb-esque speech in the second part. I had more fun working with this than I care to admit.


	16. Embrace the Darkness: Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day out with friends goes horribly wrong when Gem is attacked in the street by a band of goons from both Crystal Prep and CHS, led by none other than the Great and Powerful Trixie.

Gem was standing in front of her bedroom’s full-length mirror, eyeing herself. She wore a plain blue dress with white lining, black leggings, and white pumps. Last of all was some sparkly dark blue nail polish. Smiling, she reaches for her phone and dials Raven’s number: “I’m ready! Are we meeting at Sunset’s house or yours?”

“Sunset's, and then we'll go from there,” Raven replied.  “You all excited for our first full shopping trip?”

"You bet I am, I'll see you soon!" She hangs up and makes her way downstairs, gets into her car, and drives off to Sunset's house.

Sunset and Raven were waiting for Gem to arrive.  They both waved when she pulled up in front.  “Hi, Gem,” Sunset said, “whose car shall we take, or are we just piling into yours today?”  She chuckled as Raven had already climbed into the passenger seat.  “Okay, that answers that question.”  She gets into the car and soon, the three are heading toward the Canterlot Mall.

"I'm so glad the two of you are coming," Gem says as she drives along. "I'd be terribly nervous without you..." She checks her reflection in the side mirror to see how girlish she looks. "I'm... not terribly confident."

Raven reaches over and squeezes Gem's hand.  “We've been through this before, sweetie.  You have nothing to worry about, we're gonna go to the mall, do some shopping, have lunch, and generally enjoy ourselves.  Don't over-think it.”

Sunset nodded, and rubbed Gem's shoulders.  “Besides, you have Raven and I along for backup.  You have nothing to worry about, okay?”

"Right! Nothing to worry about. Gotcha." She pulls into a parking spot, gets out, and leads the girls inside. "Sunset, you've lived here longer than Raven and I. Where's the best place to start?"

“There,” she says, pointing to a storefront marked “Carousel Boutique.”  “I went shopping there when I first arrived.  I still do, I think they have the best selection.  Let's go check it out.”  The three walked along and into the shop.

“Morning, ladies,” the clerk at the register called out  “Feel free to have a look around, if you have any questions, any one of us can help you,” she said, indicating the floor staff.

"Thank you!" says Gem brightly, and goes off to explore the racks. She eventually selects three things: a low-cut black top, a blue, white and black dress, and a black and white checkered jacket with a black shirt and matching jeans. Pleased, she makes her way to the fitting rooms, letting the other two follow.

“Just a minute, please!” a voice rang out across the store.  A matronly salesperson was quickly making their way toward them.

Gem widens her eyes and puts on her best smile as the saleswoman approaches. "Good morning, miss!" She waves with her free hand, since the other one was holding three different hangers.

The saleswoman stops and looks somewhat stern, but quickly composes herself.  “I'm terribly sorry, but we have a very strict policy regarding our fitting rooms.”

The smile slides off Gem's face. She gulps, exchanging nervous glances with her two friends. "What's that, then?" she asks slowly.

“We can only allow one person into the room at a time.  I'm sorry, but we've had a rash of shoplifting recently and this policy came out of that.  Only the person trying on the clothes may be in the fitting room, the rest will have to wait out here,” the salesperson explained.

Gem phews. "Ah! I see! Well... No reason we can't hold an impromptu fashion show, right girls?"

“Absolutely,” Gem and Raven say in unison, both of them releasing the collective breath they had been holding.  “Go ahead, we'll be in the boyfriend chairs over here.”  They turn to the salesperson.  “Very sorry for the trouble, ma'am,” Sunset said.

“I'm sorry for scaring you like that,” the salesperson replied.  Dropping her voice, she said, “It's only that the big boss is always watching and if he saw all of you going in there he'd throw a conniption. I had to move quick.”

"Understandable," Gem says, smiling again at the saleswoman, before steeling her resolve. "Right... Allons-y!" And she enters one of the empty stalls. She comes out in the black low-cut top first, striding and twirling as if she's really on a runway.

Following appreciative comments from both Sunset and Raven, Gem goes back into the fitting room to try on the next article of clothing.  Sunset sits in the chair, listening to the store music while she waits.

Gem repeats the motions for the dress and the business outfit, then returns with all 3 outfits on their respective hangers. "I think I'll get all of them! Do you girls want anything?"

Sunset chuckles.  “I need to cull the stuff I never wear before I can even think of anything new!” she says.

Raven picks out a satin blazer and studies it approvingly.  “I think this would look good for me and my magic show, don't you agree?” she asked, slipping the blazer on and giving a few magical flourishes.

Gem nods, “You look enchanting, love,” she says happily, kissing her girlfriend on the cheek. At Sunset’s words, she smiles. “You should treat yourself at least once! In fact… I have just the thing!” She runs off, returning some time later with a [new outfit](http://bit.ly/1S3lgk5).

“I don't know … but it is a cute outfit .. “ Sunset hems and haws for a few moments before grabbing the outfit.  “Oh, okay, you win!” she says as the trio make their way to the register.

The cashier smiles and takes everyone’s outfits, scans them, then puts them into bags. “That’ll be $275,” she says in a cheerful voice. The name tag reads “COCO.” Gem takes out her debit card and quickly swipes it through the reader, then punches in her PIN. The receipt prints out, and the cashier hands it to Gem, who takes it and their bags. “Thank you, ladies! Come again!”

“We certainly will!” Raven says happily, as the trio exit the store.  A quick glance at the clock in the mall center showed it was rapidly approaching lunch time.  “hat do you think, grab a bite and wander some more?” Raven asked.  Gem and Sunset nodded, and they headed toward the food court.

Watching the trio from the upper floor, practically unseen, a lone figure scowled  at the sight of Gem.  A voice seemed to whisper, 'Look at that.  Something like that shouldn't even be allowed to walk among us.  You can stop that, you know.  I've given you all the power you need to rid the world of that menace once and for all.' The figure watches as Adagio meets up with the trio.  'And, as long as you have that stone, I see freak bird number two you can take care of, too,' whispers the voice.  Moving away from the railing, the figure turns and blends into the crowd of shoppers.

“Fancy meeting you three here,” Adagio says, “where are you headed now?”  She hugs all three in turn.  “I was on my way to the music store, I need more staff paper.”

“Lunch!” says Gem, hugging Adagio back and smiling, “Don’t worry, it won’t be tacos.” She looks around the various food stalls and takes note of a Burger Princess. “That should do the trick! Want to join us? We can go to the music store afterward!” She completely fails to notice any suspicious figures.

Adagio nods, and the four make their way to the burger shop.  After placing and receiving their orders, they find a table and sit down.  “So, have you heard the latest?  Seems some of the kids that were drafted by Nightmare are talking about forming a gang now.”

“Seriously?” Sunset said.  “Are their lives that dull that they ave to resort to something stupid like this?”

Raven swallows her bite of burger.  “I also heard they're forming an alliance with Crystal Prep. They want to establish in both schools.”  She chomped a French fry.  “I sent an anonymous note to Vice Principal Luna about it.”

Gem dips a fish finger into her bowl of custard, noms it, and frowns. “A gang of kids from our school and our biggest rival… knowing Nightmare, I’d say she wants revenge for what I… we, did to her.” She sighs, “And I thought it was over with..."

Raven watches Gem eat and makes a face.  “I still can't believe you eat that.”  She shrugs.  “Still, if that … thing comes back, we'll just have to defeat it again!”  

The four finish their meal with a change in conversation, and then continue on their adventure.  Several hours of shopping, browsing, and laughing later, the sun starts sinking low in the sky.  Adagio looks out of the skylights at the rapidly darkening sky.  “Wow, I didn't know it was getting that late, I'd better head for home.”

Gem has pulled on a coat and a scarf that matches her current dress. Reaching into her pockets, she tosses Adagio her car keys. “Take my car,” she says with a smile. “I’ll get the bus back. Mind the gas pedal, it sticks sometimes.”

“Okay, thanks Gem.  Are you two coming?” Adagio asked Raven and Sunset.

Raven kisses Gem on the cheek.  “I'll talk to you tomorrow, sweetie.  You be careful, okay?”  She walks with Adagio and Sunset to the car, and watches while Gem waves and walks over to the bus area. 

As they pull out of the lot, Raven is suddenly seized with a full body shiver.  “Are you okay?” Sunset asks, concerned for her friend.

“I don't know … I just got a really bad feeling all of a sudden.”  She composes herself.  “For all I know, it's lunch coming back to haunt me.”  She settles in and watches the road rush by under the wheels of the car.

Seconds later, an ambulance rushes by, headed toward the bus stop near the mall parking lot, its sirens shrieking. Adagio pulls over to let it pass, and frowns. “Girls… do you think she’s okay?” she asks, staying where she was in case they needed to turn around.

Raven thinks for a moment, then nods her head.  “Yeah … the ambulance is always heading toward the food court, and where the buses are is the quickest way there.  I'm sure she's fine.  She'll call in a little while and tell us all about it.”  Adagio eases the car back into traffic and heads for Sunset's house.

* * *

Meanwhile, Gem had making her way through the nighttime streets of Canterlot, having just sent her friends off in her car. She walked toward the bus stop, dressed in a blue coat with a white scarf and gold buttons, with jeans and boots to match. Her purse was clutched tightly in her hand as she walked, feeling around for her bus pass. She never saw exactly where it came from, but the blow landed square on the back of her head, knocking her to the ground. Gem tried to clear her head and get to her feet, but was instantly overpowered by four thugs, all dressed in black clothes and black hoodies drawn tight around their faces.  Kicks and punches rained down, along with ugly epithets like "dirty shim" and "lousy faggot."  

Gem tried to fight back or at least deflect some of the blows, until a shrill whistle stopped them.  Stepping aside, the leader stepped forward, brandishing a small wooden club.  A wisp of golden hair peeked out from the side of the hoodie the leader wore, and a familiar voice said, sneeringly, "How do you like being under THIS spell?" before one final blow struck Gem in the side of her head.  Darkness quickly set in as Gem lost consciousness. She fell down hard, her beloved screwdriver rolling from her hand and down into a sewer.

A few minutes later, a short man wearing a Panama hat, a light brown tweed jacket with a red paisley waistcoat, plaid trousers and a black and brown zigzag patterned tie walks down the street, twirling an umbrella with a question-mark shaped handle. Passing by an alleyway, he stops at the sight of a young woman who looks to be in her late teens lying on the ground, severely beaten, and frowns. “Oh my word…” he says, in a light Scots burr. “This poor young lass…” He turns his head back down the street and shouts “Ace! A little help, please!”

“Right away, Professor!” says another voice, and a blonde haired woman wearing a leather jacket with many patches appears on the scene. “What’s the… oh no!”

“We need to get her to the hospital at once,” says the other man, taking out a cell phone from his pocket and punching in three numbers. “Hello? This is Doctor John Smith… I am at the intersection of Baker and McCoy streets, a young woman with grievous injuries is lying in an alleyway. Please send your fastest ambulance.” He hangs up.

“What now, Professor?” asks the woman.

“We wait,” says the man quietly, sitting down beside Gem. He checks her pulse. “She’s breathing, but only just…”

* * *

Contrary to Raven’s hopes, there is no call from Gem telling them all about it. Two hours later however, Canterlot General Hospital does call: “Is this the phone of Raven Shadow?” asks a woman at the other end of the line.

"Yes, this is she," Raven says nervously.  "And to whom am I speaking, please?"

“This is Doctor Grace Holloway of Canterlot Medical… a young woman of about 18 with grey skin and brown hair was recently brought into the ER, and your name was the first one listed on her phone’s contact list… we’d like you to come in, if that’s alright.”

Adagio and Sunset both look up, identical expressions of fear on their faces. Across town, Emerald Wave looks up from her mixing console, feeling like her heart has just plunged into her stomach.

“I’ll be right over,” Raven says finally, hanging up. Her phone slides out of her fingers and drops to the floor, the glass face shattering. Raven completely doesn’t notice as she flies out of the room as fas as she can, with the Dazzlings and Sunset close behind. As they’re about to pull out of the driveway however, a police car pulls up, and a voice shouts “Freeze! This is the Canterlot Police Department! Exit the vehicle and come out with your hands up!”

The five girls look at one another in surprise. “The police? But we haven’t done anything!” exclaims Sunset.

“Better do what they say,” Raven says with a sigh, “You know how the cops are around here, Sunny. Arrest and trigger happy to the end.” And so the group climbs out of Gem’s car, putting their hands up above their heads.

As they do so, a white skinned man with dark and light blue hair steps out of the police car, accompanied by a young woman with cream skin, and blonde hair, holding a small service revolver in her hands. 

“Officers? What’s going on?” asks Sunset, her eyes widening at the sight of the gun.

The male officer, Shining Armor, frowns. “We’ve heard reports that a young woman with grey skin and brown hair was seen lying beaten in an alleyway about two hours ago. She was found by a Doctor John Smith and his assistant, a Ms. Ace McShane. Eyewitnesses report seeing a group of five students armed with bats and clubs.”

The woman glares at the five suspiciously. “You girls wouldn’t know anything about that, would ya, eh?” she asks, in a very strong Whinnyapolis accent.

“No, ma’am,” says Adagio. “We were driving back here at the time.”

The woman frowns even more. “Those same eyewitnesses said they saw a girl of your description at the scene of the crime.” She produces a pair of handcuffs and places them around Adagio’s wrists. “As of now, missy, you’re under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you at government expense.” She drags Adagio toward the police car and puts her in the back, then buckles her in.

“Given your record, Ms. Dazzle,” Shining Armor says, “I’d be very careful if I were you.” He points to the other four.  “You four are allowed to go, we’ll be contacting you later just in case.” He climbs in and drives off into the night, sirens blaring.

* * *

The Canterlot Police Station is a place that is always filled with people at all hours of the day, be those people criminals, cops, or both. People answered phone calls, discussed cases, went on and came back from patrols. It was in this atmosphere that Adagio Dazzle found herself as she was led inside, still handcuffed, by Captain Shining Armor and his partner, Fargo.

“Fargo, can you put Miss Dazzle in cell 7, please?” said Captain Armor.

Fargo nodded, “You got it, sir. Come on, missy.” And so Adagio was taken to cell 7, freed from her handcuffs, and locked in. Shining Armor was busily filling out a form. “Name: Adagio Dazzle. Sex: Female. Height: 5’11”. Weight: 125 lbs…”

“Think she’ll get convicted?” asks Fargo, returning from the cells. 

“Doubtful,” says Armor honestly. “If you had asked me that a year or two ago I would have said yes, but she’s done a lot to clean up her act lately. My sister says she’s great friends with Miss Gemini.” Who was, of course, one of Canterlot’s model citizens.

“But if that’s true, then why attack her?”

“We don’t know that it’s her, Detective Fargo,” Shining continues. “We don’t have a case if her prints aren’t on the weapon, it’s that simple. Honestly, I don’t think she is. She wouldn’t attack her friend like that. No, I think we’re dealing with something different…”

“Magical?” asked Fargo.

“Probably… Canterlot High’s become a weirdness magnet lately.” Shining sighed.  “Okay … let's see what she knows.  If she wants to talk to us, that is.”  Shining and Detective Fargo walked to the interrogation room.

Adagio sat in a hard wooden chair, at a wooden table, across from two padded chairs.  The room was sparse in décor, having only fluorescent lights and a mirror on the wall by the door.  Adagio had one arm free, the other handcuffed to a chain on the floor which was attached to a solid metal bar bolted down to the concrete.   She sat slumped in the chair, attempting to make herself comfortable without much success.  She jumped when Shining and Fargo entered the room.

“Haven't seen you for a while, Adagio.  I thought you had finally gotten your life back on track.  What's up now, stepping up from vagrancy to attempted murder?” Shining asked coldly.

Adagio straightened up in her chair.  “I don't know what you're talking about, I didn't do anything,” she protested.

“We think you did,” Fargo said, sitting down across from Adagio and leaning across the table.  “And if you cooperate with us, we can make your stay here much more pleasant.  Now, why don't you tell us what you did tonight?”

“All I did was go shopping today, down at the mall.  I ran into my friends, we had a good time shopping and looking around, and then we all went home.”

“What friends were you with?” Fargo asked.

“Raven, Sunset, and Gem,” Adagio replied.

“So, you went and had big fun shopping with Gem, only to beat the ever-loving crap out of her not long after?  That's cold, Adagio.  That's mafia-style cold.  When did you take up with La Cosa Nostra?” Shining said, leaning over the table and staring down at Adagio.  “What, she owe you money or something?”

“No!  I didn't beat anyone up!  I especially would never hurt Gem, she's my friend!” Adagio cried out, tears beginning to flow.

“Of course, you didn't beat her up,” Shining said sarcastically, “you had your little thug friends do that fro you, get her softened up … and right at the moment when she was down and unable to resist,” shining hissed in a low voice, “you came in with the club and administered the coup de grace.  Maybe you didn't want to kill her, maybe you swung and missed, we'll never know. All that matters is this.”  He pulled a set of Polaroids out of his shirt pocket and laid them, one by one, in front of Adagio.  “There's a very hurt girl laying in a hospital bed tonight, deep in a coma, brought on by a savage beating.  She may make it, she may not, it's too soon to tell right now.  And who knows what kind of brain damage that final hit did to her.”  Shining swept his hand across the pictures, all of the showing the brutality of Gem's beating.  

Adagio stared wide-eyed at the photos.  Gem's face, puffy and swollen, bruised around her eyes, dried blood in her ears and nose.  The side of Gem's head, above her right ear, looking misshapen and partially caved in.  Her hands and elbows, scratched and bloody form her attempt to fend off the attack, and her scuffed knees from trying to crawl away from the blows.  Adagio could not form words, but instead started to sob uncontrollably.  

Shining slowly collected the photos and nodded to Fargo.  “We'll leave you to compose yourself.  We'll be back in a little while.”  He and Fargo walked to the door and stepped out of the room.

Standing in front of a one-way window, District Attorney Swift Justice  stared at the sobbing girl impassionately.  “If all you have is a shaky eyewitness that only saw a lock of hair, we're never gonna get this to trial,” she said.  

“She knows more than she's letting on,” Shining said.  “Let her conscience decide how much she wants to reveal.”  The three walked away as Adagio sat, sobbing and alone, in the interrogation room.

* * *

Some time later, another man was led into the interrogation room: the squat, balding Scottish man in the Panama hat who had called 911 shortly after the attack. Shining sat across the table from him, looking less confrontational than he had with Adagio.

“So, you’re… Doctor who, exactly?”

“Smith, John Smith,” responded the man promptly. “My friend Ace and I were eyewitnesses to the attack.”

“Can’t say we have much on you… there’s some stuff in your file about a place called the Unified Intelligence Taskforce, but noting beyond that… just who are you. Dr. Smith?”

“Just a homeless traveller really,” said the man enigmatically. “Passing through, helping out, learning.”

Shining started to wonder if this man was mentally sound, but steered the conversation back to the matter at hand. “Let’s talk about what you saw. What can you tell us?”

The man leaned forward and began to tell his story: “My friend and I were returning from fixing a spot of bother on Totter’s Lane when we heard the sounds of screaming and calls for help. Running to the scene, we could only watch as the victim was hit in the head with a large club. We summoned an ambulance, and picked up a lock of orange hair.” He held it out in his hand. “I believe you have a DNA analysis team here?”

Shining nodded, “Our team is analyzing the weapon now… we’ll add the hair to their work.” He took it, “Thank you, Dr. Smith.”

* * *

Twilight stepped off the bus and walked the rest of the way towards her house. It had been another very long day, she had spent most of the afternoon at CHS’ science labs. With the sun having set long ago, she knew it was getting late. As she unlocked the door and headed inside, her dog Spike barked happily at the sight of her. Giggling, the young scientist smiled and scritched the dog’s ears lightly with her fingers, then made her way into her room, grabbing her phone from her pocket and tapping the screen a few times, calling Emerald’s number.

Emerald picked up on the first ring. “Sparks! I was just about to call you!”

Twilight sat up, her eyes widening in surprise. “Why? What’s going on?”

Emerald continued, her tone worried. “It’s Gemini… she’s in the hospital.”

Twilight nearly dropped her phone out of shock. “What?! Is she hurt?”

“Yeah, it’s bad… she’s got bruises, some broken bones, the whole nine yards… whoever did this to her, they thought of everything.”

Twilight sighs heavily. “What do we know?”

“The cops have arrested Adagio, they’re saying she’s a “person of interest.” Someone fitting her description was seen at the night of the attack.”

Twilight face palms. “Great… just great. What do you want me to do?”

“Come with me to the hospital… Aria and Sonata are there already.”

Twilight nods. “Okay.. Meet me at the bus stop.” And she hung up.

* * *

"... severe concussion, several fractured ribs, multiple contusions and abrasions ...looks like she'll be here for at least three weeks," Doctor Holloway announced.  "She was mighty lucky, had they hit her in the head just so, she could have been killed.  As it is now, she's in a coma, so we really can't assess what, if any, brain damage she may have suffered."

Raven sat in stony silence, teeth grinding, trying to maintain her composure.  Emerald, Twilight, and the others embraced and let their tears flow.

Vice Principal Luna comes up from behind and places a calming hand on Raven’s shoulder. “Miss Raven,” she says softly, “When you are ready, please come talk to me… that goes for all of you, as well.” She adjusts her jacket. “There are matters I need to discuss with all of you related to last night’s events.”

* * *

After a bedside vigil for their friend, the group gathered in Vice-Principal Luna's office the next morning.  Longhaul, having been alerted by Sonata of the events that had taken place, was there as well, along with Shining Armour, the arresting officer of the night prior.  Aria and Sonata simply glared at him.

“I know it seems a bit unusual to be here, given that it's a weekend, but this is the best place to discuss what has happened and what we can do to catch the perpetrators and prevent further attacks.”  Luna stood and opened the door connecting her office with Principal Celestia's.  “Would you come in, please?” she asked.  A young man walked into the room.  “I had received reports and heard whisperings about a new gang being formed here at Canterlot High, and I asked this young man if he would be willing to infiltrate and report back to me about their activities. Have any of you heard the name 'Great Posse' around the school lately?”

Raven speaks first, “I have… they meet at a corner table in the cafeteria every day, talking among themselves… or in the cafe. I’ve never heard what they were planning, but if i had…” She growls, and Sunset places a calming hand on her shoulder.

“I've heard students on the bus talking about that, too,” Longhaul added.  “Wait, you mean to tell me that a bunch of our students did this to Gem?”

“Not just our students,” the stranger replied.  “They've recruited a bunch of Crystal Prep kids too.  Apparently they all have one particular ax to grind, and it's against those that identify as transgender, or gay, or lesbian.  They call it an 'abomination' against all that is right in the world and it's their mission to stop it any way they can.”

“Dean Cadance has been notified of this, and is aware of what has happened here,” Luna said.  “She is currently taking steps to protect those students that are open about their lifestyle, and counseling those that aren't yet out in the open but fear being discovered by these hooligans.”

Raven suddenly shivers as she turns to face the other girls, “There’s an Alliance meeting tonight, girls… we’ll have to tell them to be careful… I don’t think I’d be able to live with myself if they all got hurt too.”

Emerald nodded grimly.  “I think that we'll suspend meetings until whoever did this is caught, but I know they're gonna want to do something to help Gem.  We can discuss it more tonight.”

Shining stepped forward.  “What you do not know is that our informant here isn't your normal student.  He is, in fact, one of our recruits currently finishing up at the police academy. Vice-Principal Luna alerted us to this new gang activity and we agreed to send an undercover officer in to gather evidence.  We now have what we need to obtain a warrant on the gang's hideout and we are in the process of obtaining that.”

“I want to switch subjects for a bit,” says Aria, speaking for the first time as she continues to glare at Shining. “Why’d you arrest Dagi? She wasn’t there and we know it, don’t we girls?”

Shining sighed.  “Miss Blaze, I understand you being upset about this.  We were acting on an eyewitness who saw someone matching the description of Miss Dazzle leaving the scene of the attack.  Because this witness could not conclusively identify Miss Dazzle as the attacker, we are holding Miss Dazzle as a person of interest.  She has not yet been charged with any crime, and if we cannot find any evidence linking her to the crime scene, she will be free to go.”

“Aria,” Longhaul said softly, “All we can do now is wait.  I'm very confident that once the police gather their evidence, Adagio will be released.  I don't believe that she did this either, but procedures need to be followed. Please … if you trust no one else, at least trust me on this.”

Sonata sighs heavily, then turns to Longhaul, tears in her eyes. “We trust you, Longhaul,” she says, as Aria wraps her arms around her in a hug.

Sunset speaks next, “Is that all for now, Miss Luna?”

Shining's cell phone rings, and he steps away from the group to take the call.  Luna nods at Sunset's question.  “That's all for now.  If you'd like, you can remain here as long as you wish or you can return home or to the hospital.  I will call Sunset if anything new develops, and she in turn can start calling the rest of you.”  Her shoulders sag as she walks back to her desk and has a seat.  “I honestly can't believe anything like this would have started here.”  She drops her head into her hands and lets out a long' shivering sigh.

Shining finishes his phone call and turns to Longhaul.  “Longhaul, you've helped us out in the past, could you help us out again?”

Longhaul nods.  “You got it.  What do you need?” he asked as the two walked out of the office together.

* * *

Miles away, Gem was floating in a blank, black void. Her body was laying in a hospital bed, comatose. She felt disconnected from it, as if it belonged to someone else. It was cold in the void. She shivered, drawing the folds of her jacket closer around herself, but it didn’t seem to help… and in her ears, she could hear a whispering, a voice calling to her. She shook her head and tried to block it out as her body slept on.

The voice persisted.  “See what happens to nice girls these days?” it taunted.  “Maybe you should rethink that whole tree-hugging, 'give peace a chance' shtick and focus more on 'an eye for an eye.'  I can help you with that ...”

“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind,” Gem quotes, doing her best to look fearless. “Get out of my head, Nightmare! I saw what you did to Miss Luna! It’ll take a little more than a bump on the head to turn me dark!”

Nightmare laughed, a condescending laugh.  “Oh really?  You almost had your lights turned out permanently, and still you think you can resist me? What, are you gonna get your little friends to help you fight me off again?  If they were truly your friends, they would have prevented this from happening in the first place.”

“How? They were halfway home by the time the attack happened,” Gem replied, even as the seeds of doubt began to take root in her mind. “It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have left them when I did.. they’d never hurt me…” A vision appeared: a figure with curly orange hair, and a yellow hand that held the club that would have killed her, taunting her in a voice she knew so well. “…Dagi? It can’t be you… it can’t be…”

“Are you sure?” Nightmare teased.  Do you really know your friends as well as you think you do?”  Nightmare laughed again.  “We'll talk again, dearie.  Most assuredly, I will become the only friend you can truly believe in.  Toodles!”  With that, Nightmare faded away into the mists of Gem's brain.

* * *

The safe area for the Grand Posse was nothing more than an old store that had been abandoned.  The windows had been blacked out, and access was gained through a side door at the end of a dark alley.  It was more of a way-station than a hangout, merely a place to get their assignment for  the night and a place to lay low if the cops got a little too close for comfort.

Wearing the unofficial outfit of the gang, a young boy sat in one of the recently “appropriated” overstuffed chairs, waiting for the rest of the gang to arrive.  Their attack on that freak went better than they could have hoped, and it looked like that spooky chick was gonna take the fall.  The boy, a Crystal Prep student, smiled as he replayed the event sin his head.  It had felt good to be a part of that, made him feel tough, as if no one was gonna mess with him ever again. He thought of the two girls he’d known before the Friendship Games, that scientist Twilight and that other girl she was always hanging out with, the boy who thought he was a girl named Emerald, and smirked. “Wonder if we can get them next…” 

A knock was heard at the door.  It was in the secret code, and the boy went to the door.  He made a few knocks of his own and waited.  The reply was correct, so the boy unlocked the deadbolt and slid the safety chain out of the way, and started to open the door.

Swinging open violently, a swarm of police dressed in tactical gear swarmed the room, shouting, “POLICE!! DOWN ON THE GROUND!! ARMS AWAY FROM YOUR SIDES!!  DO IT NOW!!”  The boy was roughly thrown to the ground and straddled by a beefy police officer while others swept each room, yelling “CLEAR!” as each room was searched.

The boy was picked up and shoved roughly onto a nearby sofa.  Entering the room, Shining Armour and Longhaul entered.  “He the only one you found?” Shining asked.

“Yes, sir.  Building's clear of people, and we're executing the search for the attack weapon now.”

Longhaul and Shining walked over to the couch.  “You can't prove I did anything wrong, so you have no reason to arrest me!  My dad's lawyer will sue you until your ancestors cry for mercy!” the boy said defiantly.

“You're not under arrest, you're being detained.  There's a difference,” Shining replied.  “This nice gentleman here wants to ask you a few questions is all.”

The boy glared at Longhaul.  “I don't have to say nothing,” he spat.

Longhaul sighed, and sat down next to the boy.  'No … you don't.  So just sit there and let me do the talking.  You see,” he said coolly, dropping his voice and leaning in close, “if you ask anyone around town they'll tell you I'm a pretty easygoing guy.  It takes a lot to piss me off.  One thing that does, is when some lowlife scum messes with any of my friends.  That girl you beat up?  Very close friend of mine.  The one you framed for her attack?  Also a good friend.”

Longhaul looked around the room, and then back to the boy.  “Preppie, huh?”  The boy nodded.  “Yeah … I kinda figured.  You're too pretty to be a CHS kid.”  He got up and began to walk behind the boy, who was still seated on the couch flanked by two police officers.  “Let me guess.  You're kind of a goody-goody, aren't ya?  Never been in any real trouble, but got this big chip on your shoulder, got something to prove to the world … wanna show everyone that you're tough, you can kick ass with the best of them, right?”  Longhaul's voice became more tense, but never wavered in volume. “So, you and a few of your like-minded friends go out and decide to blind-side some poor, defenseless girl because you know she'd kick the ever-loving shit out of all of yas if you let her have the chance!”  He put a hand on the boy's shoulder and leaned in.  “It's more than a simple assault now, boy … it's a hate crime.  Yeah, bet you didn't know that beating up someone just because they're different from you was a federal felony, huh?”  He started kneading the boy's shoulder.  “Oh, they're gonna love you in the federal pen.  Pretty boy such as yourself?  There'll be a bidding war to see who gets first crack at your tender young pretty-boy ass.”  Longhaul leaned in and whispered, “And if you can't fight a girl fair and square, whatcha gonna do when Thunderdick bends you over in the shower for a night of romance?”

The boy was actively shaking, and looked on the verge of wetting his jeans.  “We can help you, you know.  This is your only chance to redeem yourself.”  He walked back in front of the boy, and knelt down.  “You give us the leader and the others involved in the attack, we put in a good word for you with the D.A.  Maybe you get a lighter sentence, maybe not, it's up to her. But, if you don't, we let the courts grind you up and let Thunderdick have what's left.  What's your answer?”

The boy gulped and nodded his head.  “Okay … I-I'll help.  But you promised you'd help me!”

Longhaul smiled grimly.  “Sure.  What are friends for?”

* * *

The night that followed was one of the longest in Adagio’s life. The cot she had been given was uncomfortable, not that she was able to sleep anyway. She kept having nightmares, all of them involving a horribly disfigured Gem coming to kill her for a crime she hadn’t committed. 

Needless to say, she was incredibly surprised when Captain Armor came to her door the next morning, unlocked her door, and let her out. “You’re free to go, Miss Dazzle,” he said promptly. “Our team determined that the lock of hair found at the scene wasn’t yours, it was actually a wig… and your fingerprints didn’t match the ones found on the assault weapon.” He gave her a hard stare. “Consider yourself lucky. Very, very lucky.” And with that he led her toward the front entrance, where Longhaul and Sunset were waiting.

"So, you're bailing me out again, only this time literally," Adagio said as she and Longhaul made their way out of the jailhouse.  "You know I'm not going to be able to repay you for everything you've done for me."

"I'm not worried about that.   I just want to make sure you're okay.  They didn't hurt you in there, did they?" Longhaul asked, concerned.

Adagio shook her head.  "No, they didn't do anything to me.  Physically, I'm fine."

Now it was Longhaul's turn to shake his head.  "I still don't know why they wanted to drag you into this.  What purpose would it serve?"

"Kill two freaks with one stone?" Adagio snarked.  "C'mon, you don't hear the whispers around the school, but I do.  'Oh, look out for her, she's the creepy siren chick.' 'Be careful, she'll steal your soul.'  'She's been sleeping in the devil's bed.'  All day, every day, I hear that.  It would only figure that if everyone at school knew that I was this horrible monster that turns on her friends at the drop of a hat, then it would be easier to run me off."

Longhaul sighed.  "You're right, I don't hear any of that.  But I do know that your friends are sticking with you because they know you wouldn't ever do something that terrible to someone you liked.  That's why I'm here now, and that's why I'm offering you the basement room if you don't feel comfortable going back to Sunset's."

"I'll take you up on that," Sunset said sadly, "only because I don't want anything to happen to her because of me."  They continued their walk to Longhaul's car in silence.

Sunset jumped as her phone rang.  Seeing it was Vice-Principal Luna calling, she quickly answered.  “I have news,” Luna said, “Come to the school as soon as you can.”

“We’re on it,” Sunset replies, hanging up and sending an emergency text to the rest of the gang. She bids farewell to Adagio and Longhaul, then drives off toward the school.

* * *

Minutes later, Sunset’s and Raven’s cars pull into the CHS parking lot. The seven girls walk through the halls toward the administrative offices, wondering what all the fuss was about.

“If I find out they caught the kids who did this,” Raven was saying, “I’ll pound ‘em into the next two counties and make ‘em look like a Picasso painting!”

“I just hope they found something that will clear Dagi,” Aria said tensely.

The seven walked into Luna's office.  “The raid was a success.  They know who was on the attack and they're being rounded up now.  We still don't have the name of the leader, but we do have the name of the chief lieutenant of the gang.”  Luna wrote a name on a slip of paper.

Raven takes the paper and stares, her mouth wide open. “You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me! It can’t be!” She shares the paper with the rest of the girls.

Luna nodded sadly.  “I wish I could say it was a surprise.”  She then turned to Emerald.  “It was reported that you were intended to be one of their next targets, along with another student here at CHS.”

“Probably Twilight,” Emerald says with a sigh. “I mean, come on. The outcast scientist and the rocker trans girl? We were so different from the rest of them, it’s no wonder we’re on the list.”

Luna shakes her head.   “No, Twilight's name didn't come up this time.  The name given was Glittershell.”

Raven was shocked.  “Her?  But … she's so careful in her dealings.  I think we've only seen her out once since she started coming to our meetings.”

Luna looked at Aria and Sonata.  “I do have news about Adagio, too.”

“What’s that?” asks Sonata, sharing a worried expression with Aria. “Did they convict her?"

“Oh sure, leave it to my sisters to send me up the river,” said a voice from the doorway.  Standing there was Adagio and Longhaul.  “They let me go just a little bit ago.  Longhaul was nice enough to give me a ride over here.”

The fingerprints on the weapon didn't match Adagio's,' Longhaul added, “and without a better identification, they let her go.  They did find something else that they're following up on, but I can't say any more at this time.”

“Dagi!” say the other two together, tackleglomping Adagio tight. The other girls do the same, creating a hug pile.

“I love happy endings,” Longhaul said, stepping out of the way of the hugfest and walking to Luna's desk.  Leaning in, he whispered, “The cops have no charges against the student whose name I gave you.  You just want to let events take their course?”  He gave a slight nod toward the very happy friends.

“Yes, I believe that would be for the best,” Luna whispered back, smiling slightly.

* * *

An hour later, the seven are standing around Gem’s bed, watching. Gem is lying in the bed, dressed in a hospital gown and covered in bandages and other things, plus wires that are connected to monitoring systems. “She’s lucky to be alive,” Raven was saying. “If those guys had hit her in the right place, we’d be planning her funeral.”

“Do you think she can hear us?” Sonata asks. 

“It’s possible, though unlikely,” Twilight adds. “I’ve been working on forming a theory as to why she is still alive… any one of these injuries should have killed her. It’s my belief that the only reason they didn’t is because of the Equestrian magic we have in our DNA.”

“How do you mean?” Emerald asks.

Twilight reaches into a pocket of her lab coat and produces a notebook, flips a few pages, and begins to read: “Based upon DNA samples collected from Miss G. Shadow prior to the introduction of Equestrian magic into her body and afterwards, I can conclude that her very DNA has been altered to accommodate for the development of magical powers and basic equine anatomy, specifically ears and tails.” She closes the notebook. “The same theory applies to all of us… it’s possible that her magic is what saved her life, and may even now be contributing to her recovery."

“So, you're saying the magic shielded her form the worst of the attack, and is right now helping to repair what was damaged? That's pretty amazing,” Raven said, nodding.  She stopped and looked at Twilight.  “Wait, how did you even get samples of Gem's DNA to begin with?”

“She volunteered to help not long ago, when I decided to find out why the dark magic was able to do what it did to Miss Luna,” says Twilight promptly.

A nurse comes to the door. “Visiting hours are over, ladies,” she says. “Miss Gemini needs her rest.”

The girls nod, and slowly file out of the room, each one giving Gem a pat on the shoulder, or a gentle hug. Raven gave Gem a kiss and whispered, “Wake up soon, love, I miss being able to talk to you.”  She straightens up and walks to the door.

* * *

Gem hears the words they say, but thanks to the Nightmare’s influence, they come back as taunts and mocking words. Declarations of love seem false. She sits in a corner of the void, crying softly.

“I told you,” Nightmare said, reclining in human form and polishing her nails, “Nobody really cares about you.  Not one little bit.  To think of all that time and energy you wasted on these so-called 'friendships,' such a pity.”  Nightmare grins an evil grin and walks over to Gem.  “Doesn't that just make your blood boil?” she whispered in Gem's ear.  “All those years, constantly giving and giving of yourself and now, when you need it most … nothing.  Doesn't it make you want them to feel like you do?  To know true pain and suffering?”

Gem wipes her face with a handkerchief then sits, looking into Nightmare’s eyes. “Yes,” she says, the hateful words echoing in her mind. “I want them to know what I know, feel how I feel… see what I see… to make them understand.” She meets Nightmare’s eyes, and offers her hand. “Will you help me?”

Nightmare takes Gem's hand and slowly helps her to her feet.  “Of course I will, darling.  All you have to do … is let me.”  Wisps of darkness work their way into Gem's body.  “Allow me to have control and  I promise you … no one will be able to push you around again.  Ever.”

Gem smiles a little. “That would be nice…” She kisses Nightmare’s hand politely, then says, “You may enter.” And she closes her eyes, wondering what will happen next.

An evil laugh rings out as Nightmare fully enters Gem's body.  “Patience, my dear.  First, we must get you well.  Just leave that to me.”  Dark magic begins coursing through Gem's physical body, healing and repairing damage at an even faster rate.  “You will be a strong one,” Nightmare whispers inside Gem's brain.  “Stronger than the other fools when I get through with you.”

“Good,” Gem whispers, feeling herself fading as Nightmare takes control. “All the better for revenge…”

A short time later, Gem’s eyes fly open. On her beside table is a framed picture of herself and her friends at Sugarcube Corner, laughing and talking merrily. She takes the photo in her hand and tosses it across the room, shattering the frame. “No more Mrs. Nice Girl,” she says softly, smiling to herself.

* * *

School resumed following the wild weekend, and the group of seven huddled in a hallway watching their quarry.  Oblivious to what was going on around him, ass usual, he opened his locker an retrieved a couple of books.  A dark hoodie hung on a hook inside the locker.  He hummed to himself, thinking that things were finally turning his way for once.

Slamming the door of the locker shut, Raven slid in between the locker and her surprised prey.  The others formed a protective circle around them, Aria and Sonata grabbing the boy's arms.  “Long time no talk, Snips,” she hissed.  “Let's go somewhere private and have a chat, shall we?”

The group marched down the hallway, Snips contained in the center of the ring of seven angry girls.  Aria placed her fingernails against Snips's forearm.  “You try to escape, I dig in deeper.  And I had them sharpened this morning.” She gave a slight press for effect.  Snips whimpered and walked along.

Reaching the gymnasium, the group entered and roughly threw Snips against the wall.  “Look, you ain't got no beef with me!  I'm not the one that beat up your fruity little whatever-it-is, not that I wasn't glad to hear about it!”

“Boy, I got all the beef on the face of the Earth with you,” Raven snarls, magenta fire in her eyes. “You and your little group of friends almost killed the girl I love. As far as I’m concerned, you were there that night.” She looks to Sunset. “You used to work with him back in the day, Sunny. Anything you want to say?”

Only that not much has changed,” Sunset said coldly.  “Still a sniveling, no-backboned toadie, aren't you?  I know you didn't have the brains to order the attack, so tell us who did and you might get to walk out of here in one piece!”  The group pressed in closer, fists raised menacingly.

“Okayokayokay, it was Trixie!  Trixie masterminded the whole thing!” Snips said, shivering.  “She kept muttering something about getting revenge on that Adagio chick for ruining her chance to win the Battle of the Bands, I didn't know until the last minute she was gonna go after Jiminy or whatever it's name is now—oof!”  Raven shoved him hard against the wall.  “C'mon, I'm telling you, I had nothing to do with that night!  I just told the guys who to get and when.”

”THAT DOESN’T MEAN A DAMN THING!” Raven yells, practically incandescent in her rage. Her voice echoes off the walls and ceiling of the gym. “My girlfriend is lying comatose in a hospital bed! She may even have permanent brain damage, and it’s all because of you and that witch Trixie! Gimme one good reason why I shouldn’t tear you limb from limb, and do it quickly!”

Snips was practically crying by this point.  “W-w-why don't you go after Trixie, I mean, th-this was all her idea!” he whimpered.  I-it's like she wasn't even h-herself, more like s-s-some type of rampaging she-demon … n-no offense, Sunset...”

Sunset stepped forward and grabbed Snips by the front of his shirt.  “Nah, I'm gonna take big offense at that.  Because even at my worst, I would NEVER have done something so terrible as what you and that little tramp did to Gem!”

Snips cowered down and braced for what he felt would be the inevitable beating he was about to receive.  He was saved by Vice-Principal Luna and Longhaul, who stepped in between him and the angry mob.  “We have heard enough.  Snips, you will accompany Mister Longhaul to my office. You girls, go wait in the library until I call for you.”

The girls nod as one and retreat to the library. Sunset looks deeply concerned. “Another she-demon… I think I started a trend, girls,” she says as they walk.

“It's not your fault, Sunset,” Adagio said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.  “I wonder if I had something to do what that thing that took over Luna not too long ago?”

“Good point,” Emerald answered.  “And, for  that matter has anyone seen Trixie at all since this mess started?”

“Nope,” says Raven. “She just stopped showing up one day… think maybe we should pay her a visit?"

“To what end?” Sunset asked.  “Chances are she won't even remember what she did under the influence of the darkness, and even if she does, if there's any decency in her at all she'd be a complete wreck knowing she caused someone to nearly be killed.”

“Only one way to find out,” Raven says, tossing her hair back. “As soon as we’re done here, that is. Maybe she does have a heart.”

* * *

Later, in Vice-Principal Luna's office, the seven sat while Luna stared out at the group.  She took a deep breath and stood up, beginning to pace the floor behind her desk.  “Snips told us everything he knew about the gang and how it started.  He even pointed out the contacts at Crystal Prep.  Dean Cadance is handling that situation now.”  She stops and looks directly at Raven.  “And while we are not going to issue punishment to any of you, can you tell me why you thought violence would have been a good idea?  Haven't we seen enough of what it can truly do to a person?”

Raven raises a hand then speaks. “I don’t know what happened, Miss Luna… I just felt like I had to get revenge, and I listened to it…” The other girls all nod in agreement.

“The influence of the darkness is still strong.  It still haunts us here,” Luna said softly.  “Clearly it isn't finished with us yet.  I have no idea who it might affect next.”  She sat back down.  “I am also concerned about Trixie.  No one has seen her for days.  I would ask you to look in on her, but I fear revenge is still too strong on your hearts for this assignment.”

“Well, too bad CHS’ best mediator is currently unable to leave her hospital room,” Sunset comments. “Unless…” The same thought seems to occur to everyone. “What about Longhaul?”

“All right, I'll do it, but I won't do it alone,” Longhaul said, looking over the sea of puppy-dog expressions.  “Sunset, Sonata … I want you both to come with me.”  Sunset and Sonata both agreed while the rest thanked Longhaul for helping out.

Pulling up in front of the mobile home, Longhaul got out of the car, followed by Sonata and Sunset.  Together, they walked to the door.   They could hear faint crying inside. Longhaul looked at the girls, then turned and knocked on the door.  “Miss Trixie?  It's Mister Longhaul from school.  May I come in and talk to you?” he called out.

After a pause a soft voice called back, “C-c-come on in...”

Opening the door, Longhaul and the girls walked inside.  On a sofa in the living room, Trixie lay face-down, a box of tissues beside her.  She looked up with tear-streaked eyes.  “Wh-what do you want to speak to Trixie about?” she asked.

“We were worried about you,” Longhaul said.  “We wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Does Trixie look okay?” Trixie asks, rolling her eyes. She produces her phone and flicks to a picture she had taken of herself a few days earlier, transformed into the same kind of she-demon Sunset had been. “Trixie has spent the last few weeks in that form… she… I… couldn’t go back to school looking like that.” She puts the phone down, “And while I was here, I planned… I brought the other CHS students together, influenced the Crystal Preppers… for what else, but revenge?”

She looks into their eyes. “We’ve all seen what Gem did for this school… how she’s united it in ways none of us could ever have imagined… but while the darkness controlled me, I hated her and everyone like her, because they were different… and I decided they all needed to be destroyed.” She looks away. “Why are you worried about me? I’m not worth worrying about.”

“You are worth worrying about,” Sunset said, “because we know that's not you.  We know what did that to you.  It wasn't your fault that the darkness took over and made you do those things, and we're not blaming you for that.”

“Sunset's right,” Longhaul said.  “And we worry about you because you are a nice person, deep down.  The few times we've talked, I've known that you are a decent person, and when we didn't see you for so long, we were concerned.  Once we heard what happened, we wanted to make sure you were all right.”

Sonata looked at Trixie and asked, “Why did you want everyone to think Adagio attacked Gem?  Was it all because of that silly music thing?”

Trixie nods. “It seems foolish looking back, but at the time… it was all I wanted. To see her brought down to nothing.” She gazes at Sonata, “Do you think she’ll forgive me?”

Sonata nods, and goes to hug Trixie.  “I think she will.”  

“Is there anything we can do for you, Trixie?” Longhaul asked.  “Do you need us to get you some food, or anything like that?”

“Lunch would be nice,” Trixie says, giving them both hugs. “I haven’t eaten in ages…” She looks to Sonata. “You like tacos, right?”

Sonata let out a squee, while Longhaul and Sunset rolled their eyes.  “La Hacienda de Taco isn't far from here,” Longhaul said.  “Come on, my treat.”  

“Yay, I get to eat tacos and I don't have to pay for them this time!” Sonata said, bouncing around the room.  “Come on Trixie, comeoncomeoncomeoncomeonnnn!”  Sonata pulled Trixie up from the couch and was shoving her toward the door.

“I’m coming, I’m coming!” Trixie laughs, letting herself get taken outside. A light rain was falling, and to Trixie, it felt cleansing, almost like a shower. 

* * *

“The doctors are amazed that you've recovered so quickly in such a short time, Miss Shadow,” Nurse Redheart said as she checked Gem's vital signs.  She recorded the findings on Gem's chart and placed it back at the for of the bed.  “You have some visitors waiting outside, shall I send them in?”

“Please do,” Gem says cheerfully, looking happy as ever, and giving no indication of the darkness controlling her. “It feels so wonderful to be awake and moving about.”

Nurse Redheart nodded, and opened the door.  Instantly, Raven, Adagio, Twilight, Emerald, and Aria entered, each gushing surprise at how Gem was healing so quick.  Raven gave Gem a kiss and said, “It's good to see you awake again, darling.”  She hugged Gem gently.

Gem hugs back and smiles, “I missed you all too,” she says. “Nurse Redheart, would you mind leaving us for a bit? I promise these girls won’t be any trouble.” She locks eyes with the nurse and seems to hypnotize her somehow, just with her eyes. ”You want to leave,” says a voice in Redheart’s mind. ”You aren’t needed here. Everything is fine.”

“Of course, Miss Shadow,” Nurse Redheart says, “I have other duties to attend to.  I will check on you later on.”  She leaves and closes the door.

Adagio and Aria think something about that exchange seemed off, but quickly let that notion pass. “I'm glad to see you're doing better, Gem,” Adagio says.  “And, they caught the ones that did it.”

“Have they? That’s excellent news,” Gem says, smiling still more. “Just what I was hoping for.” The grin transforms into a smirk. The lights in the room start to darken. One by one, the machines monitoring Gem switch off. She stands, and snaps her fingers. The hospital gown transforms into a leather jacket and jeans with stiletto heeled-boots. Her hair grows longer, turns black, and pony ears poke out. 

“I had a lot of time to think while I was imprisoned in this place,” she says, walking around the group. “I heard your jeers, your false reassurances, your laughter… but actions speak louder than words, and where were you when I needed you?” She flings her arms outward, black flames leaping from her fingertips and setting the room ablaze, “IN A CAR! DRIVING DOWN THE MOTORWAY!” she shouts. 

She snaps her fingers again, and the flames freeze, becoming ice. She traces a black fingernail down Raven’s cheek. “Meanwhile, the girl you claim to love was having her brains beaten out by a bunch of ill-tempered, foolish, easy-to-manipulate humans.” She spits the last word. 

“You’re like cattle, really… all of you.” She claps her hands, sending a shockwave that forces them onto the floor. “You weren’t there! You abandoned me! You don’t really care! But you know what? That’s okay. Because it just makes me stronger.” She begins to laugh, her voice echoing throughout the room. “Run run run, little pony-girls… run with your tails tucked between your legs, like the cowards you are. I am coming for you, and I will never, ever stop until each one of you completely understands how it feels to be me.”

The girls are, quite naturally, stunned by this turn of events.  “Gem … what's come over you? We… we didn't abandon you at all, how could you even think that?” Raven stammers, on the verge of tears, scared and saddened at the same time by what her love has become. 

The other four stand in shock before slowly moving to the door, unsure if they should run or stand together against this ... whatever this is that has taken over their friend.  Eventually, they decide to leave for now, and regroup with Sunset and Sonata to discuss what they can do about their friend, and how to truly return her to what she once was.


	17. Embrace the Darkness: Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gemini herself falls under the thrall of darkness and exacts revenge on Trixie.

La Hacienda de Taco is Canterlot’s premier taco place by virtue of having zero competition whatsoever. It is not a remotely healthy place to eat, nor is it as sanitary as its owners claim. But this doesn’t bother Sonata Dusk much. As Longhaul’s car pulls into the sparsely-populated parking lot, she claps her hands and gives Trixie a tight hug. “Wheeeeee! You are gonna love it here, Trix! Trust me!” As she speaks, the large wooden taco making up part of the sign falls from the roof and onto the ground.

The interior is slightly dingy and utilitarian. Workers clad in black uniform polo shirts and white aprons with pictures of tacos on them prepare not only tacos, but other Mexican dishes too. Further back is a selection of tables and booths, with a pair of soda fountains along one wall. As the quartet get into line, one of the workers calls "Hey, Sonata! Aren't you working today?"

"No, Caramel, I have the week off!" Sonata shouts back, rolling her eyes. “Geez, doncha check the schedule?”

“Lay off, will ya?” said Caramel, raising his hands defensively. “Sheesh, you sirens are so temperamental.”

* * *

A few minutes later, the four are siting in a corner booth, with tacos and sodas in front of them. Trixie was eating her jumbo-size taco with reckless abandon, as if she hadn’t eaten in weeks.

Sunset wiped her mouth of guacamole, “Trixie, there’s something I was wondering. How’d you even frame Adagio for the attack?”

Trixie chuckled. “It was pretty easy to do… using my powers as a she-demon, I charmed one of the boys who had a similar build to Adagio, changed his voice to match hers, and padded out his uniform to make him look more feminine. So, easy.”

“Ingenious,” says Sunset, smirking slightly, “I can appreciate a good plan when I see one.”

“Is Gemini okay?” Trixie asks, looking concerned. “She’s not… dead, is she?”

Sunset shakes her head quickly, “No, she’s in the hospital… comatose, last I heard, but she should wake up soon.” Then she jumped as her phone buzzed. Checking it, she finds a quick text from Raven: “Gem’s awake, but she’s been taken over. Regroup at my house ASAP.” 

Sunset sighs heavily, “Finish your food, girls… I think we’re in trouble.”

* * *

The next morning, the girl formerly known as Gemini Shadow dresses for school, choosing a leather jacket, a blood-red t-shirt, black leggings, a black skirt, and black boots with stiletto heels, which she accentuates with dark red nail polish, lipstick, and black eyeshadow. She smiles at her reflection in the mirror. “A girl has always got to look her best,” she says to herself. “Canterlot will never know what hit it.” Laughing, she grabs her backpack and makes her way to the bus stop.

The school bus rumbled to a stop in front of Shadowfall Manor.  Longhaul set the brake and opened the door.  "Good morning, Gemini, how are...." His voice trailed off as he watched Cassiopeia board the bus.  He rubbed his eyes, and blinked a few times.  "Gemini?  What's with this new look?" he asked, puzzled.

“Oh, I’m not Gemini anymore, Longhaul,” the girl says, smirking slightly as she takes her usual seat. “I am Cassiopeia. But you can call me Cassie.”

"Um ... very well then, ... Cassie," Longhaul said hesitantly as he closed the bus doors and released the brake.  After a little while of driving, Longhaul let curiosity get the better of him.  "Um, Cassie ... what brought this on, if I may ask?"

“Let’s just say I had a bit of a… makeover.” She snaps her fingers, and dark mist begins to flow lazily around the bus. “You know, to cheer myself up after I was so terribly hurt by those so called friends of mine.” Her voice deepens by an octave on those last three words, making her sound demonic.

Longhaul knew, as he glimpsed the mist swirling through the bus, what was happening.  It was the same thing that had happened to Vice-Principal Luna and, from the description he had heard, to Trixie.  Sighing, he continued on to the school in silence, making a mental note to bring this to Luna's attention, if the others hadn't already done so.

* * *

Twilight, Emerald, and the Dazzlings were gathered outside the main entrance of the school near the newly-renovated horse statue, talking with Sunset and Raven.  “She really said that to you, Raven?” Sunset asked, shocked.  “She really said that we abandoned her, and that we don't care?”

Raven nodded, sadly.  “I know that's not her.  And the magic she was throwing off only confirms it.  I just wonder if it was all because of her head injury, and now that she's up and around again, maybe she's changed again.”

Dark clouds spread across the campus when the doors to the bus opened and Cassie stepped off.  She looked around the ground with a sneer and strode purposefully toward the building, the stiletto heels of her boots clicking ominously with each stride.  She didn't notice the group of seven girls staring in silent shock and horror at what had once been their friend, now turned into someone they didn't recognize.

Sonata broke the stunned silence.  “Oh yeah … she's definitely changed.”

Sunset spotted Longhaul on his cell phone.  “He's either calling Luna or the SWAT team.  Either choice would be appropriate right about now.”  She sighed.  “C'mon, let's follow her.  No telling who she's gonna strike out at next.”

Cassie stepped through the halls, humming a tune that had been stuck in her head all morning. “I can’t decide whether you should live or die… hmmm hmm hmm hm…” She went to her locker and collected her books for her first class, giving at least the impression of normalcy.

Peeking at Cassie from around a hallway corner, Raven and Sunset watched as Cassie appeared to be getting into her normal routine.  Turning back to the group, Raven said, “Okay … we were told that head injuries can affect a person's behavior, so we kind of expected Gem to be different.  It seems that the outburst at thew hospital might have been related to something else, maybe her medications or something...”

“I'm not sure who you're trying to convince, but it's not working too well,” Adagio replied.

“Uh oh … trouble approaching,” Sunset whispered forcefully.

It was at this time that Snips made his way down the hallway, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings.  Having played no direct role in Gem's attack, and agreeing to be a witness for the prosecution against the ones that were arrested allowed him to return to school as if nothing had ever happened.  Walking along, he didn't notice the girl dressed in black, standing at her locker, staring daggers as he approached. Had he done so, he might have turned and run, screaming, in the opposite direction.

Seven worried faces peeked around the corner.  “Oh no,” Emerald said softly.

Cassie peeks and slams her locker door shut with such force, the sound carries down the hall. She grabs Snips by the shoulders and spins him around to face her, staring into his eyes. “Well well well, if it isn’t the little miscreant who was instrumental in the attack on me… I don’t suffer fools gladly, you know, and on top of all the other things I’ve heard you say about me…” She gives him a cold, cruel smile. “I think it’s time for a little payback.” She draws her hands back and pushes the air in front of him as hard as she can. In response, Snips is thrown bodily down the hallway as if he were a football, and slams into the doors of the library. “TOUCHDOWN!” Cassie shouts, doing a little victory dance. “Cassiopeia 1, pudding brains 0. Ha!”

“Still think that's a surge, or the medication talking?” Aria hissed.  The group watched as Snips slowly crawled away from Cassie's wrath, leaving a trail of blood from the gash on his arm, and headed for what he hoped would be the safety of Nurse Redheart's office.

Raven looked at Sunset, and both gave a nod.  “Luna's office.  Now,” Raven declared.  The seven rushed off as quick as they could.

* * *

“This is a troubling turn of events,” Luna said, “because it sounds as if the darkness has grown stronger since it has inhabited Gem's body.  Sunset, do you have any theories about why this is so?”

Sunset nodded.  “I do, and I believe Twilight has come to the same conclusions I have.  Twilight, you can probably explain it better than I can at this point.”

Twilight nods, taking out her pocket notebook and flipping the pages until she got to the right one, “My guess is that the darkness has been busy influencing the situation, making Gem believe something that isn’t so. This, coupled with her weakened mental state from her injuries, means that she’s dangerously unstable. Add the fact that it is inhabiting the body of a teenager rather than a full adult like yourself means that we simply can’t predict who, or what, she might attack next. Additionally, she might be planning to exact revenge on her attackers for what they did.” She gulped a little. “It’s what I would’ve done, if I were in her shoes.” Emerald squeezed Twilight’s hand and rubbed it reassuringly.

“That's not the worst of it,” Sunset continued.  “Because Gem has traces of magic in her body, the darkness seems to be amplifying it, which is how she was able to fling Snips around with such ease.  At this point, I don't know if our magic combined will be enough to combat the darkness.  Not to say that we won't try.”

Luna opened a desk drawer and removed an item in a plastic bag.  It was metallic, cylindrical in shape, and crusted with dried mud.  “Captain Armour informed me that this was found in a storm drain near to where Gem was attacked.  He suspected it might belong to her, and brought it by asking if I had seen something like this before.  I was holding on to it to present it to Gem upon her return.”  She passed the bag over to Sunset.  “I give it to you in the hopes it might aid you in your upcoming battle.  That's assuming, of course, that it even still works.”

Sunset takes it and presses the button experimentally. The tip lights up and buzzes weakly before fizzing out. “Guess not,” she says with a sigh, pocketing it. “We’ll charge it, and see what happens.”

Raven sighs. “This is just going from bad to worse… what’s next? Apocalyptic?”

An explosion was heard, coming from outside.  Adagio looks at Raven with a deadpan expression.  “Raven darling, I love you like a sister, but would you please stop inspiring the rampaging demonbeast for just a teensy little while?”

The seven, with Luna, rush outside to find the source of the explosion.  They find it, parked where it had been since the start of the school day.  A school bus, now fully engulfed in flames, bits of debris flung across the campus lawn.  A crumpled figure lay on the grass, curled into a fetal position.  

Sonata recognized the hat the person wore.  “Longhaul!!” she screamed, running toward him with the rest hot on her heels.

Luna and Sonata helped Longhaul to a sitting position.  His clothes were a bit singed, and he had lots of small cuts and scraped on his arms and face.  He coughed and waved everyone else off.  “I'm okay,” he croaked.  “Gem's worse than it appears.  She approached me, accusing me of harboring a dangerous criminal--” he pointed to Adagio-- “over being there to help her when she needed it most.  I tried to tell her that wasn't the case, but instead she fired a bolt of magic at me.  I was lucky, I was able to dodge it … the bus, not so much it seems.”  He looked sadly at the burning hulk as sirens announced the approach of the fire department.  He gave a half-hearted chuckle.  “Looks like we're getting a new bus whether the school board likes it or not...”

“Which way did she go?” Luna asked.  Longhaul pointed back toward the school.  

“She said something about making them all feel like she did that night.  Go, I can handle things out here,” Longhaul said, getting woozily to his feet.

“There's no telling what she's gonna do next.  We have to end this somehow,” Raven said. 

* * *

Cassie walks through the school, causing chaos and destruction wherever she goes. The Algebra room is demolished by a tornado, the gymnasium and locker rooms are all set on fire, and the Home Ec room is transformed into a frozen wasteland. All the while she sings along to [another song](http://youtu.be/0LgcDpTH47g) playing on someone's boombox.

After the song, she passes the nurse's office just as her phone buzzes. She quickly checks the screen and says, "Oh, is it that time of day already? Phooey, and I left my things at home..." She sighs and ducks into the office, "Nurse Redheart, I need my mid-afternoon dosage... I left mine at home again."

Nurse Redheart shakily walks from her desk to a small cabinet and takes out two bottles, shakes out a couple of pills from each, and passes them to Cassie, trembling in fear. Cassie smiles. "Thank you! I'll let you live." And with that she sashays from the room, slipping two pills under her tongue and letting them dissolve, then swallowing a third with water from the drinking fountain.

When finished with that, she finally notices the seven girls she had once called friends. "Why, hello girls! How is your morning going? Mine is positively delightful!" From her pocket she brandishes a white paper bag, and plucks a green coloured baby-shaped jelly snack, eats it, then says "Would you like a jelly baby?"

The seven stand together, with Sunset and Raven in front. “Gem … why are you doing this?” Raven asked.  “I know you, and this isn't you at all.  You're not the type to seek retribution or revenge.  Why are you letting this … this dark side of you take over and destroy the girl I love and want to marry?” Raven asked.

“Gem, I've been in the same position you're in now, and it was only because of you that I now know what friendship truly is," Sunset agreed. "You are my friend, Gem, and I know my friend isn't like this at all.  I know you're still in there, Gem … please. Push the darkness away and come back to us.”

"Oh, I'm so sorry girls, I'll never do such a horrid thing again!" Cassie cries dramatically, looking repentant, before rolling her eyes. "The girl you knew as Gem is dead, killed by her own weakness and the inattentiveness of her so-called friends. She may have been engaged to you, Raven Sable, but I won't be!" She flings the engagement ring to the floor and stomps on it. Then she opens her hands, and flames appear. "Get out of my sight before I kill you where you stand, you pathetic bunch of mortals. Your 'friendship' is nothing compared to REAL power! Ahahahahahahaha, HAHAHAHAHA!" She zooms off, her voice carrying down the hall.

* * *

Inside her mind, Gem has been tied up and is shrieking at the Nightmare. "LET ME GO! I REFUSE TO STAND FOR THIS!"

“What's all this about standing, I tied you to a chair,” Nightmare replied, walking toward Gem.  “I swear, some people are never satisfied, no matter what you do for them.”  Stopping in front of Gem, Nightmare appears as Cassie looks to Gem's friends.  “Nice upgrade, no?  Lots better than that out-of-style stuff you always wore.”  Nightmare walked behind Gem and began kneading her shoulders.  “Oh, we've only just begun this thrill ride, dearie.  First, I took care of that fat little piece of dung that hurt you in the first place, and then that stupid old man you have such an attachment to.” Nightmare leans in and whispers, “And this is just the beginning.  All of these fools are going to rue the day they ever so much as looked at you funny.  So, how about showing little ol' Nightmare a little bit of gratitude for doing what you clearly can't?”  Nightmare stops kneading Gem's shoulders and starts walking away.  “Oh, your engagement is off, I just canceled it.  Might want to find someone new … maybe a better kisser this time.”

“YOU BITCH!” Gem screams, completely losing her composure and struggling more, “I’LL BLAST YOU INTO THE STRATOSPHERE!”

* * *

Meanwhile, Cassie is marching through the school, looking for a certain blue-skinned magician. “Come out, come out, wherever you are… I’ll find you yet, you great and powerful charlatan…”

As most of the student body had fled upon the first sounds of explosions, Cassie's heels clicking on the tiled floor were the only sound heard above the general mayhem that had taken over the school.  Raven, fighting back tears over her cruel treatment by Cassie, led the way with Sunset, the rest looking down the side hallways and warning any stragglers to take cover.

The sign for the Rainbow Alliance was taped over the window on the door, and inside the room, hiding under a table as best as she could, was Trixie.  She shivered and wept quietly, having received a warning from Luna about Cassie's behavior and what she had done to Snips.  She had attempted to leave the school, but hastily backtracked when she saw Cassie attempting to vaporize that poor bus driver, the one that took her to the taco place.  It was clear that an apology wasn't going to be enough this time, and all Trixie could do was hope that whatever dark force had taken control of poor Gem could be dispelled before Trixie was found.

The door is blown off its hinges by sheer force of will. It flies through the wall, creating a door-shaped hole. The table Trixie is hiding under goes through that hole, leaving the poor magician scared for her life. Cassie smiles. “At last, we meet again… hello, Trixie.”

Trixie gulps. “Are… are you going to kill me?”

Cassie laughs a little, “Now, come on. Let's not dwell on horrid things. This is going to be our last conversation, and I'm the one who's going to have to live with that.”

Trixie shivers and backs up, “Please don’t kill me.”

“Say something nice!” orders Cassie.

“Please, please. I don't, I don't want to die. You're going to kill me, aren't you?” Trixie asks, her voice getting higher as her panic increases.

“Say something nice!” Cassie orders again. 

“Please!” Trixie shouts.

Cassie sighs, looking impatient. “I've got all day. And I'm not going to kill you until you say something nice!”

There is a long pause as Trixie thinks of something to say. “I… I regret my former actions against you, and I want very much to be your friend, and I truly believe that you'll never be able to find it in your heart to murder me.”

“Then prepare to be amazed,” Cassie says, as flames appear in her hands once more. She flings them right toward Trixie. The flames catch, burning impossibly hot and quickly over the girl’s body. Trixie screams loudly and painfully until she can’t anymore. When the smoke clears, all that’s left is a pile of ashes and the tattered remnants of a magician’s cloak and hat. There is a long, long silence.

“Looks like she played her last card,” Cassie says, walking away without so much as a backward glance.

Arriving at the sound of the blast, the seven stand and look at the carnage that Cassie left behind.  Sonata screams and runs toward Trixie's hat, dropping to her knees in front of the pile of dust, sobbing uncontrollably.  Adagio and Aria attempt to comfort her, but to no avail.  Raven and Sunset stand with Twilight and Emerald, and the four wrap their arms around each other and silently grieve.

* * *

Inside Cassie's head, a tied-up Gem sits in stunned silence as a viewscreen flickers to static, then disappears.  “I hope you enjoyed the show, dearie.  Too bad there won't be an encore for dear Trixie. She sounded so convincing, too, like she really wanted forgiveness.  And to still be alive.”  Nightmare's evil laugh echoed in the dark, empty space as Gem hung her head and cried. 

* * *

After constructing a makeshift barrier to protect the remains of Trixie, the seven huddled outside the room, leaning on each other for support. “Gem's gone,” Raven said in a defeated tone.  “I know if there was a way to stop what just happened, Gem would have found it.  She's truly gone.”

The rest looked to Sunset.  “So, what do we do now?”

Sunset can only shiver, looking cold. “We can’t give up, we have to fight…” she says finally. “All of us, Luna, Longhaul, Miss Celestia… maybe even some of the other students. We have to band together and destroy that… that thing, so it can’t hurt anyone else.”

“It would seem it has accomplished one of its primary goals,” Twilight said, looking back at the pile of ashes, “so it would appear that the only thing left is for it to exact revenge on the rest of the students, however many of them are still here.”

Raven turned to Sunset.  “Sunset, I mean no offense, but you have the most expertise in this.  When it was you as the rampaging she-demon,  where were you planning to establish the seat of your empire?”

Sunset thought for a few minutes.  “My goal was to lead a grand army to Equestria and sit on Celestia's throne, but I do see where you're going with this.  Any good despot needs a seat of power.”  She paces a bit, then stops, a look of recognition in her eyes.  “Are the sets still in place for the drama club's show?  The play about Henry VIII?”

Adagio and Aria nod.  “Yeah, they're still there.  I don't know what that has to do with anything, it's a 'bottle show,' meaning there's only one set, the … “  The sun came over the mountains in her mind, and it finally dawned on Adagio.  “The throne room!”  

“Okay, let's send out to whomever can assist us,” Sunset said, drawing her cell phone.  “We have them go to the auditorium and we face this Cassie thing there.”  The seven tapped out messages, and put their phones away.  Sunset swallowed nervously, and steeled her resolve.  “Okay then … let's go.”  The seven marched resolutely down the hallway toward the auditorium.

* * *

Cassie is reclining on the prop throne used for the play, looking completely relaxed. Before her sit various members of the student body, with chains around their ankles. “Now, everyone! Say it with me: All hail Queen Cassie!”

A few half-hearted 'hail's were heard, along with some stronger epithets.  A whip crack silenced everyone.  “I don't believe you are truly enthusiastic enough.  I guess we'll have to work on that,” Cassie says with a evil grin.  Some students start to weep.

Sunset and Raven fling the doors of the auditorium open and the seven march toward the stage.  Cassie watches this, an amused look on her face.  “No one is so brave that she is not disturbed by something unexpected.” Cassie stares at the group as they stop at the foot of the stage.  “And this display of confidence I find slightly disturbing. Does this mean I have to break you the way your false friendship broke me?”

“You can’t break us,” says Sunset defiantly, standing shoulder to shoulder with her friends. “Friendship has united us, and this school! See how this crowd reacts to you? They’ve seen far too many things like this to be scared by the likes of you!”

“Said the former she-demon,” Cassie snarks. “If you think you’re so strong, try and stop me! And when you fail, I’ll burn you all just like I did to Trixie!” She grins nastily. “And then I’ll go one further: I’ll burn this whole world to the ground! Every last man, woman, and child! And why? All because of you.”

“And then what?” Sunset asked.  “Is that your ultimate goal? To be the ruler of a dead world, with no subjects under your command?  Alone in nothingness?  That would be perfect for you, Nightmare.” She grinned.  “Oh yes, we know who you are.  You're just mad because Gem beat you once before, so you decided to take over when she was at her most fragile.”  Sunset scoffs.  “You couldn't even take over a world of ponies with the power of an alicorn princess to back you up!  Do you really think we're not going to be able to stop you?”

Longhaul, Vice-Principal Luna, and Principal Celestia entered the room, leading a contingent of students.  Glittershell walked front and center, along with the rest of the Rainbow Alliance members.  They joined with the seven at the front of the stage.

“Look at you all, mourning someone you already know is dead… it’s almost cute!” Cassie starts to rise into the air, collecting all the magical power she could find. “If I’m going down, I’m taking you with me! I’ll see you in hell, Sunset Shimmer!”

Everyone joins hands as Sunset shouts, “Think of Gemini, everyone! Think of everything she represented! Think of every good memory you have of her! She may be gone, but her spirit lives on, in all of us!”

Everyone in the auditorium joins hands.  The seven, along with Longhaul and, surprisingly, Vice-Principal Luna, begin to show signs of pony ears and tails.  The seven start to glow.  “As the Elements of Harmony defeated you, so to shall we do the same, using the same tool: the power of friendship!”  The entire assembly is enveloped in a bright white light, with Sunset as the focal point of the power.  From her, and the other six, a rainbow-colored beam forms, wrapping itself around Cassie.

Inside her mind, Gem and Nightmare continue to struggle.  Nightmare becomes aware of the harmony magic wrapping itself around her.  “No!  Not now!  We were so close!”  She slammed Gem down to the ground.  “You!  You sniveling fool, look what you've done!  I offered you the world and you just threw it all away!”  Nightmare watched as Gem struggled to her feet.  “I should end you right now, leave you a dead hulk for your so-called friends!”

“Liar,” Gem snarls, green fire in her eyes. “You hurt my friends, you killed someone in cold blood, and you used me to do it! You’ve caused enough trouble, Nightmare! If all the world's a stage, it's time to face your final curtain!” She conjures together all of her own harmonic magic. “Banished like a tinker's cuss, I say to thee… expelliarmus!” Then there is a flash of blinding light as the darkness is disintegrated completely, becoming nothing. An explosion occurs, resulting in the destruction of the auditorium and a gigantic crater. And in the middle of that crater is Gem, still wearing Cassie’s clothes. Her eyes are closed, and she’s barely moving.

Longhaul, Luna, Sunset, and Raven rushed to where the stage had been, moving carefully through the crater.  Longhaul reached Gem and placed two fingers on the side of her throat.  “She's alive,” he said thankfully, “just unconscious.”  He gently shook Gem's shoulders.  “Gem!  Gem, can you hear me?  Can you open your eyes for me?”

Gem hears a voice calling her name from a great distance, and tries to open her eyes. Eventually, she just manages to do it. “L…. Long… Longhaul?”

Longhaul nods, smiling and blinking back a few tears.  “Welcome back, Gemini,” he says, his voice breaking with emotion as he wraps her in a tight hug.  He is soon joined by Raven, Sunset, Twilight and Emerald, and the Dazzlings.  Raven is weeping openly as she plants kisses all over Gem's face.

Gem hugs and kisses all of them back, tears running down her face. "I'm so sorry..." she manages to say. "I just.. It just... I felt so hurt, so powerless..."

Raven shushes Gem.  “The darkness is gone now.  We're all going to be okay.”  She reaches into her pocket and pulls out Gem's engagement ring, slightly scuffed and with one of the smaller stones missing.  She slips it on Gem's finger.  “You dropped this earlier.  We can get it fixed up later, but I figured you'd want it back.”  She smiled through her tears.  

The group made their way slowly out of the crater, forming a protective circle around Gem.  The members of the Rainbow Alliance aided them as they climbed to safety, then wrapped Gem and the seven in a giant hug as Luna and Longhaul looked on.

Longhaul leaned in and whispered to Luna, “Looks like we're getting that new school building, too.” Luna giggled softly.

 


	18. Coming Back to Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Falling into a deep depression after Trixie's death, Gem attempts suicide, only to be rescued by a dear friend.

For Gem, the realisation that Trixie had, in fact, been killed by her own hand shook her to her core, and she slid into a deep depression. It began with a general sense of guardedness around her friends, progressing to poor nutrition, poor school attendance, and plummeting grades.

One afternoon, Gem sat alone in the darkness of her bedroom, while an episode of her favorite television show played on her laptop. The screen showed a man in a leather jacket shouting at what looked like a large, murderous saltshaker:

_“Oh, and I caught your little signal. Help me. Poor little thing. But there's no one else coming 'cause there's no one else left.”_

Gem mouthed along with the next phrase: _“I am alone in the universe.”_

_“Yep.”_

_“So are you. We are the same.”_

_“We're not the same! I'm not… No, wait. Maybe we are. You're right. Yeah, okay. You've got a point. 'Cause I know what to do. I know what should happen. I know what you deserve.”_

Gem mouthed once more: _“Exterminate.”_ Then, she reached over and took a device from where it sat, and pressed a button. At once, the emitter extended with a fierce clicking sound, and the triple-section tip slid into place. Her finger rested on the other button: when pressed, it would emit a highly lethal beam of yellow light. Placing it against her head, she prepared to press the button as the episode continued to play.

A sudden knock on the door startled Gem enough to make her briefly lose her grip on the screwdriver, effectively removing her finger from the triggering mechanism.  "Steno told me you'd be up here," said a familiar voice as the door swung open.  "Come on, let's go get something to eat.  From what I heard, it's been a while since you've done that."  

"I bet you say that to all the girls..." Gem says flatly. She looks like a living corpse, complete with the smell. "Why do you care? I'm not worth worrying about... I'm a monster and you know it."

"And over the time we're going to spend together, I'm going to tell you, in no uncertain terms, why that's a load of bullshit," Longhaul replied in a serious voice.  "Oh, and if you were thinking of weaseling out because of your appearance, take a good look at me.  My shirt is ripped, my hair's a mess, I haven't shaved or showered today, and my breath stinks bad enough to knock a buzzard off the shit wagon.  None of that matters because the place is quite casual and I know the owner intimately.  Let's go."  His words were more of a command.  "Oh, and you won't be needing that at the moment.  I promise I will give it back when we're done, so if you would ... " He held out his hand and motioned for Gem to hand over the screwdriver.

"Fine..." She hands it to him, "It might not have worked anyway. I'm not half the inventor Carrie is." She walks alongside him out of the house and to his car. "Do you know that Raven took the ring back? She wanted to give it back to me when the girl she knew came back."

“I guess it's a good thing I showed up after all, because I'd been wondering where that girl went as well.  Lots of people have been asking the same thing.  I hear it every day: 'Have you heard from Gem?  How's Gem? Have you seen Gem?  I'm worried about Gem.'  And these are people, like me, who don't believe for an instant that you're a monster.”  He spots a piece of paper sitting on Gem's desk, near where she was sitting.  He starts to read:

_“Dear Friends… By the time you read this, I will have passed on. In the span of a few months, I have lost everything I ever worked for… I have lost my love, my friendships, my grades, my reputation. I have lost myself. I don’t know who I am anymore. All I do know is that it would be far better to be dead than to be alive, because of all the pain I’ve caused you. Forgive me, think of me, but most of all, remember the girl I used to be. She was so much stronger.”_

Sighing, Longhaul picked up her note and stuffed in his shirt pocket.  “I'm guessing this wasn't an exercise for English Lit?” he asked, tapping his pocket.

“Oh no… that was for you all to find,” Gem replies. “I amaze even myself, sometimes.” Her penmanship was, somehow, as lovely as it had always been. “So… you don’t think I’m a monster. Explain why, please?”

“I shall,” Longhaul said, escorting Gem to the door, “once we're on our way to a quiet little place that's somewhere other then here.  You need to be away from here, and the sooner the better. And I can think of no better place than my house.  It's quiet, no one's gonna bother us there, we can have a bite to eat and talk about stuff and maybe we can figure out together the best thing to do to help my very close friend Gemini Shadow."  He escorts Gem to the front door.  

Steno stands nearby, his eyes red, puffy, and damp.  Longhaul leans in to Steno and whispers in his ear.  Steno nods, and Longhaul wraps him in a hug.  The two continue their walk to Longhaul's car.

Once they're buckled in, Longhaul drives out the driveway and back onto the road.  “Now … you want to know why I don't think you're a monster.  Simple.  I don't deal with monsters.  I deal with people, and especially people I call friends.  Gem, we've known each other ever since you transferred here from Trottingham.  If there's one thing I can say with certainty, it is that You. Are. Not. A Monster.”  He sighs.  “Yes, bad stuff happened.  Stuff you had no control over.  That in and of itself doesn't make you a monster.”

“I disagree,” Gem says simply, watching the world go by. “I killed someone, Longhaul. It may not have been me in control, but it was my body. My magic. My hands. I killed Trixie Lulamoon, and I am going to live with that guilt every day for the rest of my life. Do you know how murder changes a person?”

“I do know the victim's life takes a drastic downturn,” Longhaul deadpanned.  “Gem, you said it yourself.  You were not in control.  You had to watch as some magical entity took possession of your body and used it to terminate someone's life.  The entity is gone, and here you are with all of those memories.  You are just as much a victim as Trixie was.”  He turns down a quiet tree-lined street.  “If you were truly a monster, you would have felt no such pangs of guilt, you might have even enjoyed watching it happen, and heavens help us all, possibly even wanted to do it again.  That's one way murder changes a person, and that hasn't happened to you.”

All Gem can do is sigh heavily as they turn onto the street, “What’s going to happen to me?” she asks finally. “Am I going to prison? Will I spend the rest of my life there, isolated from everything and everyone?”

“I think they can make a case that you weren't in your right frame of mind,” Longhaul replied, “based on what Captain Armour was saying to me.  All we can do is wait it out, see what happens down the line.”  

* * *

The car turned into a small driveway, and drove into a garage.  As the garage door closed, Longhaul looked over at Gem.  “Welcome to my humble abode.  You are welcome to use the guest shower if you'd like to clean yourself up before we eat, it's up to you.”

 “Yes please.” She seems to realize how terrible she smells, and once inside, vamooses toward the shower. A very long while later she comes out, wrapped in towels and feeling much better. “Do you have any clothes I can borrow?” she shouts from the bathroom.

“You can use the bathrobe hanging on the door of the guest room, and I think there's some clothes that might fit you in the dresser in the guest room,” Longhaul called back.  “Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Thank you!” She puts on the bathrobe and goes through the drawer, finding some outfits and some leftover makeup the Dazzlings had left behind. She puts them all on and comes back downstairs several minutes later, looking refreshed and wearing one of Adagio’s old outfits, a purple dress decorated with yellow gemstones, a gold collar and pink sleeves, fingerless gloves, pink leggings, and purple boots with gold heels. “How do I look?”

“Much better,” Longhaul said, studying her, “more like the Gem I've come to know.”  He motions to follow him and leads her to the kitchen.  On the kitchen table sits an assortment of baked goods, a pot of coffee waiting on the counter.  “Have a seat and help yourself.  Would you like a cup of coffee?”

“Yes please,” she says with a smile, taking a muffin and munching happily on it. “I feel much better… a good shower, a good friend, good food… I’m a lucky girl.”

Longhaul places a cup of coffee in front of Gem, then sits down.  “I'm glad to hear you say that,” he says, smiling, “it means there's some progress there.”  He picks up an apple fritter and takes a bite.  “Now … why don't you tell me a bit about what's going on with you and Raven.”

“Well, if you say so…”  

* * *

The scene flashbacks to a few days earlier. Gem is sitting on the couch, staring vacantly at the TV, which is showing the weather channel. Beside her is Raven, who is looking increasingly irritated as time goes by without a word spoken between either of them. Raven reaches over for the remote and switches the television off.  Gem doesn't seem to notice at first, then slowly blinks and turns to Raven.

“Oh, you are still with us,” Raven says sarcastically.  “I was beginning to wonder if someone had replaced you with a scarecrow, although the scarecrow would be more talkative.”  She dropped he head and shook it slowly.  “Gem, what's going on with you?  We never go anywhere, you're hardly ever at school anymore, and worst of all, you won't talk to me.”

“We’re talking now, aren’t we?” says Gem, before realizing. “Oh, right, only because you started it. Sorry.” She looks sheepish for the millionth time in a while. “Why should I go to school? Who would want me there? The last time I was there, I blew up half of it! What am I supposed to do with that?"

“Maybe stop dwelling on it so much and try to move on?” Raven says, exasperated.  “It's not like the school's just gonna crumble away the minute you step foot on the grounds.  And besides, all of our friends are worried about you.  They never see you anymore.  Neither do I, except for those rare times you let me come over and let me watch you stare blankly at satellite pictures and radar mosaics.”

“Maybe stop dwelling on it so much and try to move on?” Raven says, exasperated.  “It's not like the school's just gonna crumble away the minute you step foot on the grounds.  And besides, all of our friends are worried about you.  They never see you anymore.  Neither do I, except for those rare times you let me come over and let me watch you stare blankly at satellite pictures and radar mosaics.”

Gem sighs, “I don’t know what is wrong with me, Raven… and until I do know, I’m not leaving.” She looks away. “You don’t have to keep coming if I’m making you miserable.”

Raven cannot hold back any longer, and sniffles as a tear works its way down her cheek.  “I don't even know you any more.  You're not the silly, sweet girl I fell in love with.  The Gem I know wouldn't be wallowing in self-pity and despair, she'd be out trying to make herself better and keeping better contact with her friends.  I want that Gem back.”  She slips the ring off of  her finger and sets it down on the table.  “When that Gem returns, give me a call.”  She gets up and hurriedly leaves, before the major eruption of tears starts to flow.

* * *

Longhaul places a hand on Gem's.  “She didn't stop caring about you, you know. She asks after you every day, every time I see her. Gem, I seem to remember a time when she went to Manehattan and threatened to break off your relationship, you fought tooth and nail to win her back from that creepy magician guy.  Why didn't you do that this time?”

“Because I was busy wallowing in self-pity and despair,” Gem says automatically, until the sun rises and it dawns on her, “Ooh, I’ve been a foolish girl… I think I need to talk to my fiancé…”

Longhaul motions to an old rotary-dial phone hanging on the wall.  “You can use that phone, or the one in my office.  Whichever one you pick, tell her I said hello.”  He goes back to munching his apple fritter.

Gem goes upstairs and dials Raven’s number. “Raven? It’s me… I just called to say I love you. Will you talk to me again?”

“Gem?  Gem, I never wanted to stop talking to you,” Raven's voice said over the handset speaker.  “You sound different, are you feeling better?  And where are you?  I don't recognize this number.”

“Somewhat. I’m at Longhaul’s house. Want to come drop by? He has breakfast on the table and everything!”

“Before I do, I want to know something, and tell me truthfully: Am I going to see the Gem I knew and fell in love with, or am I going to see the Gem that wants nothing to do with me anymore?”  A faint sniffle can be heard over the telephone line.

“A true magician doesn’t reveal her secrets,” Gem says, unable to hide the smile in her voice. “I’d recommend you come find out yourself.”

“I'll be there as soon as I can,” Raven says, “tell Longhaul I'm coming.  I love you.”  Raven hung up the phone.

“She’s coming!” Gem exclaims, unable to hide her joy. “She’s coming, she’s coming, she’s coming!”

“I take it the call went well?” a bemused Longhaul asked as a giddy Gem made her way back to the kitchen table.  “And you know, she wasn't the only one who was worried about you.  The Dazzlings, Twilight and Emmy, even Vice-Principal Luna were constantly asking if you were okay or if I'd seen you lately.  Your friends were always willing to help you.  All you had to do was let them.”

“And now I will,” Gem says, holding Longhaul’s hands in her own, and kissing her friend on the cheek. “Starting today, and right now. I promise.”

Longhaul blushes.  “Gem … I never told you this because I didn't know if it was proper, and I wasn't sure how you'd react, but … well, I've always thought rather fondly of you, like you were a favorite niece of mine.  It really hurt me when you started shutting all of us out, especially me, whom you've known ever since you first arrive in Canterlot.  I hate seeing members of my family suffer, and yes, I consider you as family.  I am so happy that you are making the turnaround, and I want you to know I will do anything you ask of me, so please feel free to ask.  Okay?”

“Okay,” Gem says, tears in her eyes. “I’d like to be your niece, but only if you can be my uncle.”

Longhaul gets up and wraps Gem in a hug.  “You're always welcome to call me uncle,” he said.  The two are interrupted by a persistent knocking at the door.  “I wonder who that could be,” he says, releasing Gem and walking to the door.

Upon opening the door, he is instantly glomped by a very happy and teary-eyed Raven, who plants a grateful peck on his cheek.  “Thank you so much, Longhaul … “ she says.

“You're … quite welcome,” he replies, struggling to draw a breath.  “Come on in the kitchen, there's someone waiting for you in there.”  Raven breaks the hug and walks along with Longhaul.  Seeing  Gem, she runs to her and wraps her in a tight hug, once again smothering her with little kisses.  Longhaul just smiles and sits down, taking a sip of his coffee.

“Raven!” Gem cheers, hugging Raven tightly and spinning her around in a circle, kissing her all over.

Raven is a bundle of emotions and thoughts.  “Oh Gem I've missed you so much and I was so worried about you and I hadn't heard from you until just now I was so concerned that you were gonna hurt yourself and I'm so happy to see that you're well and doing better and oh my are those jelly donuts because I haven't eaten at all today and I'm starving do you have any coffee?”  She sat down next to Gem, nuzzling and munching a jelly donut.

Longhaul gets up and pours another cup of coffee, setting it down in front of Raven.  “Cream and sugar's on the table,” he sys, returning to his seat and his apple fritter.

Gem nuzzles back and giggles, holding Raven’s free hand in hers, “I’m on the mend, at least… between you and Longhaul. After this we can go meet up with the rest of the girls, and then tomorrow I’ll go to school. And just in time too, because yes, I did almost hurt myself. But luckily… someone rescued me.”

Longhaul blushed again as Raven looked at him and mouthed a silent 'thank you' before returning to her donut.  “That reminds me, about the 'school' thing … I should make a phone call real quick.”  He gets up, grabbing another apple fritter and his coffee.  “Holler if you need anything, I'll be in my office.  Back in a few.”  He walks out of the kitchen and heads for the stairs.

Once Longhaul is gone, Gem wraps her arms around Raven in a hug, “I’m sorry for being so aloof with you,” she says. “I didn’t know what else to do… and I wasn’t in the right place, anyway. And there is still a lot to be done. I just… I just want to know I’ll have you by my side.”

“Gem, it hurt me seeing you that way, and it hurt even more knowing you didn't want to come to me for help,” Raven said, squeezing her eyes shut tight.  “I'm with you now and forever, no matter what happens, Just promise me that no matter how bad you think things are, no matter how down and depressed you've become, you will talk to me about it. I made a commitment to spend the rest of my life with you, and I meant it, no strings attached.  Please, don't shut me out again.”

“I won’t,” Gem says sincerely, and kisses Raven passionately on the lips.

Raven returns the kiss just as passionately.  “You better not or I'll totally whomp your butt,” she says with a  giggle.

The two are still snuggling when they hear someone clearing their throat from the doorway.  “Okay, it's all set,” Longhaul says, sitting back down.  “Tomorrow, when you return to school, you will need to meet with Miss Luna. She has some paperwork for you to go over and some make-up assignments for you to complete.  She also says she can't wait to see you tomorrow, and is very happy you're doing better.”

Gem nods, “Sounds fair to me.” She rises, “Well love, shall we go?” she asks with a smile.

Raven nods.  “Yeah, the others should be waiting for us.  I called Sunset before I came over, and she contacted the Dazzlings.  We're gonna meet at that taco place Sonata works at.”  She gives Longhaul a quick hug as he stands up.  “Thanks again for finding my Gem.”

“My pleasure,” he replies.  “Gem, one more thing...”  He hands Gem her screwdriver.  “I did promise you I'd give this back when we were done today.  What about the other thing?” he asked, tapping his shirt pocket.

Gem takes it back and slips it into her pocket, then looks thoughtful. “I don’t need it… maybe turn it into something useful! Or burn it, but remember to take out the batteries first.” She hugs him again, “See you tomorrow, Longhaul.”

“Bright and early as always,” Longhaul replied,  and broke the hug.  “Remember what I told you.  Anything.”  He waved as she and Raven walked to her car and headed off into the bright and clear day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title comes from a Pink Floyd track, off their The Division Bell album. Gem, for the record, is watching Dalek on TV. While I've never attempted suicide myself, I do think I know Gem pretty well, and this particular flaw of hers (blaming and attempting to remove herself from the situation) is something that will crop up in New Endeavours too.
> 
> Longhaul, as has been established, is who the girls turn to when they need an adult friend to get them through a tough spot, and he really earns his keep here. If he were an Element of Harmony, I would say that he is Loyalty.


	19. Trial of a Time Lady

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gem faces the law as she is brought on trial for the murder of Trixie Lulamoon.

The next Monday, the school bus trundled its way down the street toward the grey-skinned young woman who stood by a stop sign, waiting for it. She wore a white coat today, with blue gloves, a skirt patterned with stars, grey leggings, and white shoes. Her hands were hidden in her pockets, but those had gloves on them. 

After a few minutes, the bus slowed to a stop, and she stepped aboard, giving the driver a small smile and a kiss on the cheek. "Morning, Longhaul," she said softly. 

Longhaul blushed and tipped his cowboy hat to her. "Mornin', Miss Gemini. It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back," Gem agreed, sitting down in her usual seat. Longhaul began to drive the bus down the road to pick up other passengers.

* * *

During the ride, Raven and Sunset took turns informing Gem of the changes that had occurred since that dark day a few weeks earlier. "The gym and the locker rooms are being rebuilt," said Raven, "and math classes are happening in the library."

"What about the students?" Gem asked, looking concerned.

Sunset chuckled. "That's the really interesting thing. The Dazzlings and I got treated with suspicion after we came down from our magical highs, but you? Everyone has spent the last 3 weeks asking about you."

Gem smiled a little at that. "It's gratifying to know that they care."

"Of course they do!" Said Raven, flinging her hands in the air. "You're one of the best things that's ever happened to CHS! They'll be talking about you for years!"

"I was worried they would be rotten to me," Gem confessed. "Like they were to Sunset after she became a she-demon. No offense."

"None taken," replied Sunset, smirking. "No, I think going for the superpowered-goth-girl look was a wise decision. No offense."

"None taken," Gem replied, giggling a little.

The bus pulled up at the front doors of CHS a few moments later. Longhaul opened the doors and everyone climbed off, talking animatedly amongst themselves. As the students streamed into the halls, Raven and Sunset stuck with Gem, walking on either side of her.

"I have to meet with Vice Principal Luna," says Gem to her companions, who nod, "But first..." And Gem walked toward a particular locker. Not her own, but Trixie's. 

In the weeks that followed Trixie's death, her locker had become a sort of shrine to the lost magician. Her hat and cape were hung near the top of the door, with pictures of her decorating the middle, and small tributes toward the bottom. Gem opened her backpack and withdrew a small rose, which she stuck on the door with a strip of tape. Taped to the note was a quotation from a favorite book of hers, and of Trixie's: "To the well-organised mind, death is but the next great adventure."

Then she stood back, and resumed her walk to the principal's office, with Sunset and Raven following along behind.

* * *

Vice Principal Luna sat at her desk, working on some papers of her own when the knock sounded on her door. "Come in," she called.

Gem entered the room, flanked on either side by Sunset and Raven. Seeing who it was, Luna smiled wide and embraced Gem, running her fingers through the girl's hair.

"It is good to have you back with us," Luna said after a little, as she settled back behind her desk. "My classes have been missing your insightful queries."

“I am glad to be back too,” Gem says with a smile. “Even with all the work I have to catch up on.”

Luna chuckles, “Ah yes, all that…” She opened a drawer and took out a manila folder that had Gem’s name written on it, “This is yours… your teachers have said that it will be due in two weeks’ time, and you will receive full credit.”

Gem thumbed through the folder of schoolwork.  “This doesn't look too horrible.  Not as bad as I was expecting, anyway.”

Luna nodded, and retrieved another folder from her desk drawer.  “These are forms sent down by the school board.  We've already started the process of collecting signatures from the doctors that have been treating you, in order to excuse your absence from school for such a long duration.  Without these, you wouldn't be allowed to graduate with your class.”

Gem looked shocked.  “I had no idea that could even have happened.”

“That's why I wanted to talk to you today,” Luna said in a serious tone.  “We have the signatures of the doctors that treated your injuries from the attack, but we're missing one very important signature.”

“Which one would that be?” Gem asked.

“We need the signature of the mental health worker you saw after the, um … 'demon incident.'  Once we have that, I can submit this to the school board and all should be in order for you to graduate.” Luna passed over the form that needed the signature.  “There's no immediate rush, but the sooner we get this back, the sooner I can get the process moving again.”

Gem nods and slips the form into her backpack, “I have an appointment this afternoon, so I’ll be sure to hand it over then… thank you, Miss Luna.” 

Luna smiles, “You are welcome, Miss Gemini. Have a good day.” 

Gem smiles and sees herself out.

* * *

The day went about as normally as it always did, at least until the very end. Gem and the girls were walking together toward the main doors when the voice of Kibitz, Principal Celestia’s assistant, blared out on the intercom: “Gemini Shadow, please report to Principal Celestia’s office immediately. Repeat: Gemini Shadow, please report to Principal Celestia’s office immediately.”

Gem frowns, puzzled. “I wonder what that could be?”

“Let’s go find out,” Raven says at once, gripping Gem’s hand. “Come on, girls!” And so the eight trooped through the halls in the other direction, toward the administrative area. Kibitz waved them in, and the girls were treated to the sight of two police officers standing on either side of Celestia’s desk, specifically Shining Armor and Fargo Gunderson. 

Twilight’s jaw dropped. “Big brother?! What are you doing here?”

Shining sighed, “Police business, Twily.” He turned to Gemini, and at a signal, Fargo placed a pair of handcuffs around the girl’s wrists. “Gemini Aquarius Shadow, you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?”

Gem nodded, too shocked for words. 

Shining continued. “With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me?” His voice was calm, and reassuring. 

Gem shook her head, “Not until I have a lawyer…”

Shining nodded. “Fair enough, we’ll see to that at the station. Come along, please.” And the three went quietly away. Gem was herded into the back of a police car and driven off, while her friends looked on, varying degrees of sad expressions on their faces.

Raven was the first to break the stunned silence.  “Principal Celestia, what's going on?  Why  was Gem arrested?  She hasn't done anything!”  The others added their agreement.

Celestia sighed.  “Captain Armor explained to me that the district attorney is pushing for Gem to be tried for the death of Trixie.  Initially, she wasn't going to prosecute, given the circumstances, but she's received some … pressure.”

“Pressure from whom?” asked Emerald.  

“Trixie's parents.  They want to see Gem punished.”

Waves of disbelief and anger washed over the seven.

“I know this is going to be very hard on all of us until this matter is resolved, but we all need to stay strong and not let our emotions run away with us.  It won't help Gem in the tiniest.  And,” Celestia said, looking directly at Raven, “there will be no retaliation against Trixie's parents or Trixie's friends, under pain of expulsion.  Am I understood?”

Raven nodded sullenly.  “I get it.  You won't get any trouble from me.”

* * *

“Case number 6524593, City of Canterlot versus Gemini Shadow, charge is aggravated manslaughter,” the bailiff intoned.  Led up to the table by two burly court officers, Gem stood next to the Shadow family's personal attorney, Habeas Corpus, sent over by her father after her frantic phone call.  She wore the outfit she had worn to school that day, having been taken out of the school, discreetly, in handcuffs.  Captain Shining Armor personally requested to be the one to take Gem  into custody, figuring she'd be less threatened by someone she knew and could trust.

The bailiff handed the file to the judge.  “How does the defendant plead?” asked Judge Balanced Scales.

“My client pleads guilty, Your Honor,” Habeas said grimly.  Low murmurs erupted throughout the courtroom, only to be quickly silenced by the judge's gavel hitting on the bench.

Swift Justice, the city's district attorney and lead prosecutor, appeared shocked.  She was expecting a long, protracted fight.  She quickly composed herself and resumed listening.

“Miss Shadow,” the judge asked, “has your attorney advised you in regard to your plea?”

Gem nodded, and said very softly, “Yes, Your Honor.”

“Would you tell the court, in your own words, exactly what happened to warrant a guilty plea?”

Gem swallowed, closed her eyes briefly, and said, “While under the possession of an evil and strongly magical force, I was involved directly in the death of Trixie Lulamoon at Canterlot High School four weeks ago from this date.  I was not in control of myself at the time, yet I was used as the instrument that caused her death.”

The judge nodded, and made some notations in the file.  “Miss Shadow, you are hereby remanded to the custody of the Canterlot Women's Correctional Facility pending your sentencing hearing, which will occur five days from now.  You may confer briefly with your attorney prior to being taken to the correctional facility.”  The judge banged his gavel, and Gem was led away by the court officers.  “Next case please,” Gem heard the judge ask as she was whisked from the court room, Habeas following close behind.

* * *

A police car pulled up into the parking lot of the Canterlot Women’s Correctional Facility. At the wheel was none other than Captain Shining Armor himself, while in the back sat Gem, whose face was as impassive and blank as she could make it; Seeing the jail itself, coupled with the fact that this would be where she’d be spending a few weeks, seemed to break the mask. She began to cry softy as she was escorted from the car and handcuffed, then led in through the main entrance.

Shining placed a hand on Gem’s shoulder. “You don’t have a thing to worry about, Miss Shadow. It’ll be rough adjusting, but trust me… it’s a lot easier afterward.” He smiled a little. “I believe you’re a good person at heart, Gem, even after all this. You’ll survive.”

Gem smiled through her tears. “Thank you, Captain Armor.” And from there she was led inside, where she was given an orange jumpsuit to change into (it had the number 00112363 sewn into it) and had her mugshot taken. From there, she was led to the cells, where the warden explained the rules of the prison. Afterwards she was left on her own to get her bearings.

The cell was simply furnished, with a single bed, sheets, pillow, and a blanket. There was a sink, mirror, and a toilet, and four grey walls with a barred window. Gem sat on the bed and sighed, rubbing at her wrists. Even though she was only going to be here until the trial, she still felt terrible. “Am I going to spend the rest of my life here?” she asked herself. “Grow old and grey while Raven and the girls get on with their lives? Am I going to be forgotten? What will happen to me?”

“YOU’LL SHUT YOUR TRAP IF YOU KNOW WHAT’S GOOD FOR YA!” shouted someone from slightly further down. “CRAM IT, RICHIE!”

Gem sighed. It was going to be a long week.

* * *

_“In the City of Canterlot’s criminal justice system, all defendants are innocent until proven guilty, either by confession, plea bargain, or trial by jury._ [ _This is one of those trials.”_](https://youtu.be/7e5RBQTgEFQ?list=PL6R1WihvtjjnN2oQnImCJgVVozrpCE0kY)

* * *

The courtroom was filled with watching spectators as word of the upcoming trial had spread. Most people were of one opinion: Regardless of extenuating circumstances, Gemini Shadow should be duly punished for the death of Trixie Lulamoon. This effort was spearheaded by her parents, Matthias and Violet. On the other side of the room stood Gem’s friends and supporters at CHS, all of whom believed that Gemini’s actions were the result of a malignant force infecting her mind, and not the result of anything she personally had initiated. 

The bailiff entered the room first. Trixie’s parents entered and sat behind District Attorney Swift Justice, lead prosecutor for the city, and last of all Gem herself with her own lawyer, Habeas Corpus. Gem was dressed in a simple dress with white socks and black shoes, looking distraught. She was also in handcuffs, being led by another bailiff.  Captain Shining Armor sat near the prosecutor. Last to enter was the judge.

“All rise!” shouted the bailiff. Everyone stood up. “The case of The City of Canterlot vs Gemini Shadow is now in session!” A gavel banged.

“Miss Shadow has, through her attorney, entered a plea of guilty,” began the judge.  “This hearing today is to decide the penalty for Miss Shadow based on the circumstances of the case.  We will hear statements from those involved, as well as experts who have examined Miss Shadow in the days  and weeks following the incident.  We will now hear opening statements from both attorneys, beginning with the prosecution.  Miss Justice, when you're ready.” There was a pause as both groups reached for papers, straightened them, and shuffled them. Finally, Swift Justice stood and began speaking.

“On September 12th, Trixie Lulamoon was murdered in cold blood by Gemini Shadow,” began Swift Justice. “While we understand she may have been disturbed at the time, we do not believe this should be an excuse to prevent the proper application of justice. The facts are these: Miss Lulamoon had been apologizing for her previous transgressions against Miss Shadow prior to her death. These apologies went unheard, and what followed was a truly gruesome scene that has robbed the Lulamoons of their only child. Your Honor, we ask that Miss Shadow's punishment be harsh yet fair.  Miss Shadow must pay for her actions as prescribed by the law. If she does not, it will be a true miscarriage of justice.”

When Swift Justice took her seat, Habeas stood and cleared his throat quietly.  “Miss Shadow does not deny that her actions caused the death of Miss Lulamoon.  This is an issue of which there is no doubt.  Miss Shadow has been counseled in regard to this and is prepared to accept whatever punishment the court feels is fair and just.”  He began to walk in front of his table.  “What we ask for, Your Honor, is a measure of mercy and compassion in the sentencing.  We will introduce during the course of this hearing a variety of statements and testimonies.  We will hear from her classmates at Canterlot High School; we will hear from doctors that have examined her and evaluated her mental state; and most importantly, we will hear from Miss Shadow herself, on the torment she feels every day, knowing she has taken the life of a fellow human being.”  He sat down.

“The prosecution may begin, please call your first witness,” said the judge.

“I call Police Captain Shining Armor to the stand.”

Shining took the stand, and was sworn in by the bailiff.  “Captain Armor, you were the lead investigator in this case, were you not?” Swift asked.

“I was, yes,” Shining replied.

“Would you describe what you found there?” Swift queried.

Shining cleared his throat.  “Upon being led to an interior room of the school building, I saw a small pile of grey material, later determined to be ash.  Furthermore, I noticed that the room was partially destroyed, and I found no evidence of weaponry in or near the room.”

Swift continued, pacing back and forth as she always did, hands clasped behind her back. “You are aware of course that Canterlot High has been the focal point of various… disturbances these last few years. During your search of the room, did you find any evidence that may have pointed to an event similar to the ones seen previously?”

“Given the heavy destruction I witnessed in that room, and throughout the campus, I would say yes, this event may have been similar to others seen previously at the school,” Shining replied.  “Upon speaking to several witnesses art the school during our investigation, more conclusive parallels were provided between this case and others.”

“I thought there might have been, yes,” Swift Justice agrees. “While the transformation the defendant went through was not as physically dramatic as previous cases, in terms of raw power… it seems to me that it was unlike anything the school has seen before. While Miss Shimmer was the cause of some minor property damage, even that was, as the saying goes, small potatoes compared to the wanton destruction perpetrated by Miss Shadow.”

Shining nodded.  “It is true, we had not seen the destruction on this scale as we had seen with the other incidents.  

“Let's return to the ash pile you found, Captain,” Swift said, placing an enlarged photo on a tripod-style easel.  The photo had, in its center, a small pile of ashes surrounded by what appeared to be carefully-arranged classroom furniture.  Laying nearby were a singed cape and magician's-style hat.  Heavy charring was visible on the floor under the ash pile.  Upon seeing the photograph, Mrs. Lulamoon let out a loud wail, and collapsed against her husband, who was heavily glaring at Gem.  The judge banged his gavel.  “Order, please,” he stated.  “Madam Prosecutor, please continue.”

“Thank you, Your Honor.  Captain Shadow,” Swift began, pointing to the furniture around the pile, “what was the significance of the arrangement here?”

Studying the picture, Shining replied, “This was constructed to preserve the pile by the students named--” he consulted his notebook-- “Sonata Dusk and Sunset Shimmer.”

“And what, exactly, was the pile of ash that you found?” Swift asked, dropping her voice a little.

“The ash pile was determined to be the remains of Miss Trixie Lulamoon, a student at Canterlot High.”

“Who provided the identification?” asked Swift.

“It was provided by Miss Gemini Shadow during questioning.”

Swift stopped, looking out over the gallery, and asked, “And how did Miss Shadow know that this was Miss Lulamoon's remains?”

Shining paused, then replied, “She admitted that she was involved in Miss Lulamoon's death.”

Silence hung over the courtroom, broken by a quiet sob from Mrs. Lulamoon.  “Thank you, Captain.  I have nothing further.”  Swift sat down at her table.

“Does the defense wish to cross-examine?” the judge asked Habeas.

Habeas shakes his head, “I believe Captain Armor’s record is trustworthy.”  Never a man to use ten words where one would do, he settles back beside Gem, doing his best to keep her calm.

“Captain, you may step down,” says the judge. 

The prosecution called several more witnesses, each testifying to what was found that day at the school and all revealing Gem's involvement.  

After a while, it was the parents’ turn: “We call Violet Lulamoon to the stand,” Swift announced.  Mrs. Lulamoon was brought forward from the gallery and sworn in. 

“Miss Lulamoon,” began Swift, “I would like to ask you about your daughter… did she have prior contact with Miss Gemini prior to her passing? Were they, perhaps, in the same classes at school?” She was being gentle here, since the witness was a grieving mother and all.

Mrs. Lulamoon dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief.  “Sh-she had mentioned a new girl at school a few times.  I don't think they had any classes together, though.  Our Trixie was … was always telling us about new people she had made friends with.”  She looked at Gem with a  cold expression.  “She never mentioned her by name at all.”

“What reasons do you think Miss Gemini might have had to hurt your daughter so? Was Trixie ever summoned to the principal’s office, along with her?”

“Yes, come to think of it, we did receive a call from Miss Luna, something about  bullying … yes, that girl was bullying our Trixie!  We talked to Trixie about it after she got home that day, and she told us how mean that girl was to her!  Got her in trouble and everything!  I told her to be careful, in case...” Mrs. Lulamoon began to weep again, but composed herself quickly.  “... in case this Gem girl decided to get violent.”

“Could you describe the incident of bullying, please?” Swift asks, looking between Mrs. Lulamoon and Gem. “What did she say or do? Make threats? Was there a physical altercation?”

Gem is whispering frantically to Habeas, who is trying to get her to calm down. Oblivious to this exchange, Mrs. Lulamoon continues.

“I think it had something to do with name-calling or whatnot, I'm not really sure any more.  But surely, it wasn't something to do this over!”  Mrs. Lulamoon cannot hold back any more, and lets her tears flow.  “There was no reason for that beast to do what she did to our Trixie!  She took our dear daughter from us and we'll never have her back!”  She dropped her head into her hands and continued sobbing.

Swift sighs. “No further questions, your honor.” She goes and sits back down again while someone else tries to calm down Trixie’s mother. The judge speaks again. “Does the defense wish to cross-examine? Providing that the witness is able to speak?”

“Yes, thank you, Your Honor.”  Habeas stands up and places a box of tissues on the stand in front of Mrs. Lulamoon, who grabs a few and loudly blows her nose.  “I'm very sorry you have to relive this moment again, ma'am, so I will be as brief as possible.”  He walks over to his desk and retrieves a file.  “Mrs. Lulamoon, this is the file that Canterlot High kept on your daughter.  Inside,” he continued, pulling out a small stack of papers, “is the school's official report on the altercation between your daughter and Miss Shadow.”

“Objection, relevance!” Swift called out.

“Your Honor, this record contains the conversation between Vice-Principal Luna, Miss Lulamoon, and Miss Shadow.  In light of Mrs. Lulamoon's testimony, I believe it is quite relevant in establishing the history between my client and the late Miss Lulamoon.”

The judge nodded.  “Very well, I'll allow it.  Objection overruled.”

“Mrs. Lulamoon,” Habeas said, flipping through the pages of the report, “it says in this report that your daughter was in fact not the victim, but the aggressor, in the incident you described.  Why would you make that sort of mistake in your testimony?”

Still sniffling and unaware that her mascara was running, Mrs. Lulamoon points an accusatory finger at Gem. “It wasn’t a mistake! She must be lying! It’s the only reasonable explanation! Our Trixie never did anything to harm her!” She continues, her voice getting louder, “You all read about what she did in the papers, maybe she used some kind of… some kind of mind trick on the school staff, to make her seem innocent!”

Unable to keep silent any longer, Gem rises despite her handcuffs and speaks. “I did not lie, Mrs. Lulamoon! I am many things, but a liar is not one of them!”

The judge banged his gavel heavily upon the bench.  “Miss Shadow, you will have ample time to speak when it is your turn to testify.  I caution you about making another outburst in this court, and I advise your attorney to do the same.”

Habeas goes over and whispers to Gem, forcefully, “Unless you want a contempt charge added to this, let me do the talking until you are officially on the stand.  Is that clear?”  Gem nodded and sat down.  “We apologize, Your Honor, the emotions in this case are still strong.  My client will control her behavior in this court.”

“Thank you,” replied the judge.  “You may proceed.”

“Thank you, Your Honor.  Now, Mrs. Lulamoon, while that may explain the altercation you referenced, it does not explain these other disciplinary reports against your daughter, all for bullying not only Miss Shadow, but several other students in the school.  Each of these students, like Miss Shadow, identify as transgender.  Did your daughter ever express any reasons as to why she seemed to have problems with transgender students?”

“Many times,” Mrs. Lulamoon said, spurred on by Gem’s outburst. “She viewed them as nothing more but boys playing at being girls. Trixie believed she was doing the school a public good, fighting back against the menace that she represents.” She spat the pronoun contemptuously.

“And you did nothing to curb these feuds?” asked Habeas. 

“Certainly not… we, that is, my husband and I, encouraged it.” She straightened herself.

Habeas sighed, and returned the file to his table.  He paced the floor in front of the table for a  moment.  Finally, he slowly turned to Mrs. Lulamoon.  “Have you or your husband ever disciplined your daughter?”

Mrs. Lulamoon gasps and asks in an astounded tone, “Why in the world would we ever do that? She has been a model student! It’s not our fault the administration at that school didn’t see things our way. Except, of course, for Principal Glimmer.”

Habeas nods, a very slow, knowing nod that reveals he knew the answer to that question before he even asked it.  “Nothing further, Your Honor.”  He sat back down.

“The prosecution rests, Your Honor,” stated Swift.

“The defense may call its first witness,” the judge said.

“The defense calls Mr. Snips Scissorson to the stand,” says Habeas, and Snips is led up to the box and sworn in. Habeas begins immediately. “Mr. Scissorson. we have been told that you were Miss Lulamoon’s second-in-command of her little… group… that attacked my client prior to the events at your school. Are you prepared to tell the court what your group hoped to gain from committing such vicious crimes?”

“Look, I didn't know she was gonna take it that far.  She only said she was gonna teach those trannies a good lesson. I thought she was just gonna scare them a little, ya know?”  Snips looked nervous, seeing Gem's friends glaring at him, especially Raven and Sunset.  “I figured, at the start, she'd make them finally see how ridiculous they were being and get them in line with the rest of the school.”

Habeas refrained from face palming, but only just. “And in light of everything that has happened since, do you believe Miss Lulamoon’s plan was the correct one?”

Snips nods. “Without a doubt, sir. Trixie was right, they are menaces. I mean… look what one did to her.” He shakes his head. “They can’t be trusted.”

Habeas sighed. “No further questions, your honor.”

“No questions, Your Honor,” echoed Swift.  Snips was excused and returned to his seat.

Brief testimonials continued from all of Gem's friends, school faculty, and even from some of the Crystal Prep students.  All echoed the same sentiment: Gem wasn't a violent person by nature and had to have been unable to control whatever it was that led her to commit such a horrid act. These continued right up to the time court was adjourned for the day.

Bright and early the next morning, as court resumed, Habeas stood and announced, “I call Miss Gemini Shadow to the stand.”

Gem walked with purpose to the stand, and after being sworn in by the bailiff, sat down.  Habeas walked forward and said, “Miss Shadow, you admitted that it was you that had a part in the death of Trixie Lulamoon, is this correct?”

Gem nodded, “That is so, sir. I was possessed by a malignant magical force at the time, and it used its powers in conjunction with the small traces of magic contained within me to create a blast of artificial fire, causing the pile of ashes seen later on.”

Habeas nodded.  “And where did this force come from?  How did it enter your mind and body, and cause you to do something so horrible, so out of your true nature?”

“This force came from a world called Equestria, populated by miniature ponies,” Gem begins. “According to their legends, the force traveled their world, seeking weak ponies to ensnare in its web. One of them was Princess Luna, their equivalent of Vice Principal Luna. Though the force was later defeated after the timely intervention of Twilight Sparkle and her friends, it seemed some of it still remained. It traveled through the portal that sits on the grounds of Canterlot High, ensnared Vice Principal Luna, Trixie, and finally me.” She closes her eyes. “After my beating, I was incredibly weak, both physically and mentally… if someone offered you the ability to heal in record time and exact judgement on those who wronged you, who wouldn’t be tempted?” She opened her eyes. “And as for what it did while inside me… imagine being violated so completely and utterly, you no longer feel that your body is truly yours. Even after I was freed of its influence and cared for by my friends, I still have nightmares about what it said to me, and what it did while in control of my body.”

Habeas paced a little bit, then stopped and asked Gem, in a soft voice, “So tell the court, as best as you can, where the real Gemini Shadow was when Trixie was brutally murdered by this dark force?”

“Chained and tied fast to a chair in the corner of her own mind, forced to watch, unable to fight back,” she says simply.

Habeas nods. “No further questions, Your Honor.”

“And will the prosecution cross-examine the witness?” asked the judge, looking to Swift.

Swift rose from her chair.  “Miss Shadow, I'm troubled by your use of the word 'judgment' in your testimony.  Was this an attempt, on your part, to play as a goddess, to trample those that wronged you, to make them all pay for ever daring to cross your path?”

“I believe it was the darkness’ plan, yes… she was just using me as a scapegoat, or a vessel. Her exact words to me were, “Allow me to have control and  I promise you … no one will be able to push you around again.  Ever.” She sighs. “I didn’t mean to kill her… I didn’t want to. But she imprisoned me in my own mind, and though I tried to fight, I couldn’t break free. It took the unceasing faith of my friends to give me the strength to best her, in the end.”

“I don't doubt that you were possessed by some dark force, the damage to the school bares that out,” Swift said, “but how much of that was really you, in some way, letting your deepest emotions run amok, with the laissez-faire attitude of, 'Oh, the demon will get blamed for it, I can kill someone if I wanted to'?  How much of that was what you were really thinking at that time?”

Gem sighs, and presses on. “I wanted to see justice done,” she says finally. “That was all. I never wanted to kill, that was all her doing! But what she offered me seemed like the best idea at the time. Though of course, I want to make it clear that I also wasn’t in peak mental condition at the time.”

“Murderer!” Mr. Lulamoon screamed, jumping to his feet.  “You sick deviant murderer!  You did this on purpose, you evil beast!”  The judge pounded his gavel, but Mr. Lulamoon continued his rant.  “I hope you rot in the darkest hole they have!  I hope that your soul is tormented for all of eternity!!”  The judge motions to two court officers standing to the side.  They both grab Mr. Lulamoon by the arms and drag him, still ranting, from the courtroom.  Mrs. Lulamoon follows her husband out of the heavy wooden doors.

“Miss Justice, do you have any further questions?” the judge asked in a strained voice.

Swift shook her head.  “No, Your Honor.”

“Mister Lulamoon is to be brought to my chambers.  This court stands in recess for twenty minutes.”  The judge bangs his gavel on the bench, and everyone stands as he makes his way out of the courtroom.

Gem returns to where she had been sitting and embraces Habeas, then her friends, shaking, too shocked and frightened to speak.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, the judge returned to the courtroom. “Let the record show,” he said once everyone had taken a seat, “that Mr. Matthias Lulamoon has been found in contempt of this court and has been fined the sum of five thousand dollars for his little outburst.  I will warn all of you, any similar actions will be met with a similar or heavier fate.”  He looked over at Habeas.  “Does the defense have any other witnesses?” he asked.

“The defense rests, Your Honor.”

“In that case, are both sides prepared to give their closing remarks?”

“Yes, Your Honor,” Habeas replied.

“We're ready, Your Honor,” Swift said.

“Very well.  The defense may begin whenever they are ready.”

 Habeas rises and turns around the room in a circle, paying special attention to the jury. “Ladies and gentlemen, you all know this young woman. You may not know her name or her face, but you know her reputation. She, and the many friends she has earned during her brief time as a citizen of this community, have made waves in this town. She has, in all things, done her best to act in the best interests of everyone around her.” He removes his glasses and paces around the room. “Obviously, the crime committed was a heinous one, and while she does not deny that she deserves punishment, we ask only this: be lenient. If not for her, do it for the people she has helped, whose lives she has made better, whether by extending the hand of friendship or using the power of words alone to end a fight. Gemini Shadow is not a woman of poor conscience. She is a woman of upstanding character, who would go through fire to protect the ones she loves. She will be a force for greatness, one day. Punish her if you must, but be gentle.” He sits back down again.

Swift stands up and looks out over the courtroom.  “Despite Miss Shadow's actions in the community, and her seemingly exemplary record of being willing to help others in need, one fact is plainly and blatantly clear.  Miss Shadow allowed a life to be taken at her own hands.  No amount of good works to the community, no amount of charity, nothing will ever be able to replace the life of one Trixie Lulamoon.”  She picks up a box from under the table.  She removes a small gold-plated urn, a cape with burn holes, and a singed and battered magician's hat.  She arranges these items on the table.  “This is what remains of a vibrant girl.  Granted, one that was misguided in her ideals and moral standards, but nonetheless, a girl much like some of the others in this court today.  Misplaced ideals and alack of discipline in the home are no reasons for such a life to be brutally snuffed out, her very being erased from existence, only to be contained here as a memorial.” She placed the hat on top of the urn.  “Miss Shadow should be punished for her actions.  We leave the severity if that punishment to you.”  She sits down.

The judge looks to the jury.  “It is now up to you,” he said, addressing the jury, “to decide if the defendant will face jail time, or time in a psychiatric hospital.  I will now dismiss you to begin your deliberations.  We will reconvene upon word of a unanimous decision.” The judge banged his gavel and the jury was escorted from the courtroom, followed by the judge a moment later.

Gem turns her face away from where Swift can see her, and instead buries her face in Raven’s shoulder. “I have the terrible feeling I’m going to a cell tonight, girls.. probably for a long time.”

Raven shushes Gem with a nuzzle to the cheek.  “We don't know that for sure, and no matter what, we're here for you.”

At the prosecution's table, Habeas confers with Swift.  “Were the theatrics really necessary?” he asked skeptically.

“Just proving a point, you know how it is,” Swift replied.

“What point is that?  Win at all costs no matter how many lives you destroy?”  Habeas walked back to his side of the court.

 “I stand by what I said,” says Swift coldly. “She killed, and she deserves punishment. If it were up to me, she’d get life in prison. Maybe the jury will agree.”

Gem’s mouth falls open. “…But… but my life will be ruined… everything I’ve worked for, wasted…”

“Maybe you should have thought of that before you incinerated someone in cold blood,” Swift says, glaring.

“Don't let her shake you,” Habeas said, hugging Gem.  “I don't think you'll do any time in jail, short of what you've already done so far.”

“You seem pretty confident,” Raven said.  “What's the worst that can happen to her?”

“At most, her actions were involuntary, and her record's so clean it squeaks, so she won't get anything near max terms," Habeas replied. "I think it will lean more toward hospitalization, maybe probation afterwards.”

“We can only hope,” Gem says, hugging Habeas and the rest tight. 

After several minutes, the jury and the judge file back into the room. A hush falls on the crowd, surprising 9 people. The judge speaks into the silence. “Has the jury reached a verdict?”

The foreperson stood up.  “We have, Your Honor.”  She handed a piece of paper to the bailiff, who took it to the judge.  He opened it and began to read to himself.  “Is this verdict unanimous among the jurors?” he asked.

“It is, Your Honor.”

“Will the defendant please rise?” the judge asked.  Gem and Habeas stood, his hand squeezing hers.

“Gemini Shadow,” the judge said, “it is the decision of this court that you will be confined to a secured psychiatric facility for a period of no less than two months, and until such time as you are deemed medically fit to re-enter society.  Upon your release, you will continue to receive psychiatric counseling from a counselor of your choosing and approved by this court for a period of one year, at which time your case and progress will be reviewed.  I thank the jury for their service, and this court stands adjourned.”  With a  final rap of the gavel, the judge and jurors filed out of the courtroom.

Gem hugs them all tight, smiling tearfully. “Thank goodness… I’m so relieved…”

“See?  Told ya it wouldn't be so bad.”  Habeas smiled.  

 “What happens now?” Gem asks him as the group walks out of the courtroom, with Gem being escorted by a cop. “Do I go straight there? What about school? And will I get visitors?”

“We'll handle the schoolwork and the hospital will work out a visitor schedule, visiting day is usually Saturday,” Habeas replied.  “You just worry about getting better, we'll handle the rest.  They're going to process you out of the jail, and from there you'll go straight to the hospital.”

Gem nods. “Sounds good to me… I’ll be glad to leave jail behind.” She climbs into the back of the police car, but before she does, gives her friends a wave and blows them each kisses. “I’ll see you soon, girls!”

* * *

A few hours later, a police car slowly makes its way up the winding driveway of the Shady Pines Mental Hospital.  Gem, seated in the front of the car next to Captain Shining Armor, gazes out over the grounds as they continue their way along the driveway.

“I wouldn't expect much in the way of outdoors for a while,” Shining says, “so get a good look now.”

Gem nods, doing precisely that. “You know, for a place named for pines, I see a lot of oaks,” she comments. “Ooh, and a larch!” She beams, before turning back to Captain Armor. “I don’t know if you get this very often… but thank you, Captain Armor. You’ve been nothing but kind to me, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.”

“Gem, everyone I've talked to since your attack has raved about how nice you were, how much good you've done for others.  I sincerely believed you didn't have a mean bone in your body, and when this Trixie thing came up, I knew it wasn't anything you would do consciously.”  Shining smiled.  “I know you've been through a lot, and I sincerely hope you do manage to get everything sorted out while you're here.”

“Me too,” Gem says, as at last they pull into the parking lot. She’s quiet as she is led into the facility, the main doors closing behind her. She barely even notices. 

A young-looking man with wavy brown hair and blue eyes comes down to meet them. “Ah, Miss Gemini… a pleasure to meet you, I’m Doctor Johann von Wer, my team and I will be looking after you.” He smiles and shakes her hand, before looking to Captain Armor. “Is there anything we should be made aware of before we take her off your hands, Captain?”

“Everything you need to know should be in here,” Shining says, handing over a packet of paperwork.  “I'll just need a signature on the prisoner transfer paper before I can go.”  He takes a sheet of paper out of his inner jacket pocket and hands it to the doctor.

Von Wer nods and signs the paper in neat flowing script. then salutes. “Thank you, and so long.” He turns to Gem, “Follow me, we’ll make you as comfortable as we can…” And the two walk together down the hall, into the rooms beyond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> C: The consequences of dabbling in dark magic have been addressed before, but not quite so seriously as this. Gem spends about 4 or 5 months sealed away in a psychiatric hospital, and when we do see her again, the enormity of what she did has been resting on her mind for a while. The title is a genderswapped riff on “The Trial of a Time Lord,” a 14-part Doctor Who serial in which Colin Baker’s Doctor is also put on trial. 
> 
> L: We also get to see the Lulamoons, and get a better understanding on why their daughter turned out as she did. I recall having to handle a large amount of the courtroom stuff -- guess watching all those episodes of Law and Order paid off.


	20. The Story of the Reformed and Curious Trixie, the Pony That Went Through the Magic Mirror and Spooked a Lot of Girls Because the Human Trixie Was Deceased and She Looked a Lot Like That Girl ("It's a working title...")

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pony version of Trixie enters the human world and scares the life out of Gem's friends, who are still reeling from the human Trixie's death a few weeks earlier.

“...and that pretty much completes the tour,” Starlight Glimmer said to Trixie as the two walked through the corridors of the Crystal Palace. Starlight and Trixie had been friends for a while now, with no small amount of concern from Princess Twilight, but this was the first time that Trixie had experienced the enormity of the palace.

“Hm. Trixie is somewhat impressed that Sparkle has such elegant living quarters,” Trixie said, non-plussed. While it was no secret that Trixie and Twilight had been rivals in the past, Trixie was willing to maintain a thin veneer of decorum for the sake of her new friend, Starlight, and exist in relative peace with the Princess.

Trixie pointed to a door, one left unexplored during the tour. “What’s in there?” she asked.

“Oh ... we usually stay out of there, but I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to take a quick peek,” Starlight answered. She opened the door and the two mares stepped inside. The room itself was unfurnished, save for a standing full-length mirror along the far wall. “Twilight says that’s a special mirror, and passing through leads to a whole different universe. I guess she’s been through there a couple of times, she really doesn’t mention it all that much.”

“Is that so...” Trixie mused. Already her brain was calculating. A whole new universe with a population that has never heard of The Great and Powerful Trixie, and who has never learned of Trixie’s missteps, which leads to instant stardom and fame!

Starlight nudged Trixie with a hoof. “Trix? You okay there? You kinda spaced out on me.”

Trixie shook her head, and grinned innocently, or so she hoped. “Yes, Trixie is fine, just lost on thought is all. Um, perhaps you could lead Trixie to the nearest facilities?” She did a little urgency dance to illustrate her point.

“Oh! Of course, right this way,” Starlight replied, leading Trixie out of the room and closing the door. The two walked down the hallway a short distance before stopping at a set of doors. One had a silhouette of a pony, while the other had a silhouette of a small dragon.

“Here you are. Can you find your way back to the great room when you’re finished?” Starlight queried.

Trixie scoffed lightly. “Trixie has excellent sense of direction. She will be fine.”

Starlight smiled. “Okay, see you in a few minutes.” She walked down the hallway.

Trixie waited until Starlight was out of range, then went back to the small room. She opened the door quietly, and shut it gently so as to not make a lot of noise. Approaching the mirror, she touched her hoof to it and marveled as the surface rippled like water. “Get ready, strange universe...here comes Trixie!” she said softly as she stepped through.

* * *

Bright colors and sparkles swam in front of her vision, leading her through a tunnel of sorts, before rudely depositing her outside, in front of a strange statue. Was...was that a horse? She touched the surface of the statue’s base and saw the rock ripple in much the same way as the mirror. Rising shakily to her feet, which was easy for her since she frequently performed on two hooves, she took stock of the situation. Extending her forehooves, she marveled at the strange appendages. She wiggled them, and giggled slightly. She reached up and touched her head. "Oh no! My horn is gone! How will Trixie perform her magic now?"

She spotted one of the creatures from this world walking along the pathway toward an enormous building. Trixie shrugged, and decided to approach this creature for some assistance. “Pardon me, but the Great and Powerful Trixie has need of your help!” she stated authoritatively.

The girl’s reaction was to turn white as a sheet, and run toward the building, screaming as loud as she could.

Trixie watched her depart. “Well, that could have gone better.”

* * *

“GHOOOOOOOOST!” screamed Lyra Heartstrings, as she ran full pelt into Canterlot High School, eyes wide with fear.

“Lyra, what’s going on?” Bonbon asked, coming out of an adjacent classroom with concern on her face. “You’re making a huge racket!”

“I just saw a ghost, Bonnie!” Lyra exclaimed. “Trixie’s ghost!” Trixie had died only a few weeks before, and the student responsible was currently held in a mental health facility near the Everfree Forest.

Bonbon placed a cream-colored hand on Lyra’s pale green one and spoke gently: “Lyra, there’s no such thing as ghosts. Everyone knows that. And even if there was, I bet she wouldn’t be haunting this place. She’d be getting revenge on the girl who killed her!”

“I’m telling you, Bonbon, I really did see Trixie’s ghost!” Lyra half-shouted. “If you won’t believe me, I’ll just go to someone who will!” And she stomped off toward the cafeteria.

* * *

While lunchtime at CHS was usually a time for the students to talk and relax without teachers breathing down their necks or perform impromptu musical numbers, for seven girls gathered in a far corner near the back, things were a little more complicated.

“I wish Gem was here,” Raven Sable said, looking forlornly at the empty chair usually occupied by her girlfriend. “Not having her around sucks.”

“For realsies,” agreed Sonata Dusk. “I can’t even enjoy my tacos!”

“Not that that’s stopped you from eating four of them,” Aria added dryly. “You shouldn’t stress- eat, Sonata, or you’ll end up looking like a blimp.”

“I didn’t say I couldn’t eat them, stupidhead, I just can’t enjoy them!” And, to prove her point, she slammed down another taco while Aria rolled her eyes in annoyance.

Lyra ran up to the table where the girls were sitting. “You! All of you!” she exclaimed. “I know you’ll believe me because you know all about this supernatural stuff and magic and whatnot and I know you’ll know what to do about it!”

"Believe you about what, Lyra?" Sunset asked, looking up from her salad. "What happened?"

"It was the freakiest thing!" Lyra proclaimed, waving her arms wildly. "There I was, crossing the quad, when that weird portal thingy in the statue outside opened up and... she arrived!"

The cafeteria doors swung open as Trixie entered the cafeteria, clad in her usual magician's cloak and hat, along with a powder blue waistcoat. "Behold, strange bipedal creatures, for the Grrrrreat and Powerful Trrrrrrixie has arrived!" she shouted, and some fireworks went off behind her.

The normally noisy cafeteria went absolutely silent as every face turned to look at the magician. Nearly everyone was wearing identical expressions of fear, confusion, or anger. “See? See?! I told ya!” Lyra shouted.

Sunset calmly rose from her chair, as did the other six, and the group walked over to where Trixie stood. Trixie suddenly found herself surrounded by angered faces. “Trixie...is sensing some hostility among the crowd,” she observed. “Was my entrance not satisfactory enough for your simple tastes?”

Showing remarkable restraint, Sunset spoke calmly and plainly. “Listen. I don’t know who you are or who might have put you up to this, but I can assure you this is one of the most sickest and tasteless jokes I’ve ever been witness to. I think you better follow us down to the principal’s office.” Sunset glanced around and saw several students rising from their chairs, approaching with malicious intent. “And, if you have any sense of survival, you’ll do so quickly and without argument.”

Trixie looked around, and gulped audibly. “V-very well, Trixie will obey your orders.” The seven, plus Trixie, walked solemnly out of the cafeteria and down the hall.

"Totally not cool, you guys," commented Vinyl, watching the seven go.

"I agree," concurred Octavia, straightening her bowtie and huffing.

"Trixie wishes to know what's going on," said Trixie, looking around at the seven girls she now found herself surrounded by.

"I'll be straight with ya," Raven hissed, her fingers bunched into fists already, "You're supposed to be dead. My girlfriend killed you when she was corrupted by evil magic, and now she's spending time in some mental hospital in the outskirts of town dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. I don't know what the hell you're playing at, or why the hell you're even here to start with, but you shouldn't be here anyway! 'Cause you're dead!" She held her fist to Trixie's face. "Keep quiet, or I'll give ya the beating of a lifetime!"

“What is going on here?!?!” echoed a voice along the hallway. Following the voice was a very annoyed Vice-Principal Luna. “First, I hear about a disruption in the cafeteria, and now I hear one of my students threatening bodily harm to another! Never mind the fact that my lunch is now interrupted, and you know how cranky that can make me! Now, I expect a quick explanation and....” Her voice trailed off as she spotted Trixie in the center of the gathering. “I see now the cause of the disturbance,” she said darkly. Stepping up close to Trixie, Luna snarled, “You had better have a good explanation for such a callous prank!”

“Why does everypony believe Trixie is pulling some sort of prank?” Trixie fumed. “And why are you all not bowing before my greatness?”

Sunset reacted with shock. “Did...did you just say, ‘everypony’?”

The rest of the group exchanged a look. “Uh ohh...” they said in unison.

Luna softened her exasperated tone. “My office, now,” she commanded.

Everyone herded into Luna's office, which was dark even during the day. She turned on a lamp and sat behind her desk, looking at the eight with concern in her eyes. "Tell me how you came to be here," she ordered, meeting Trixie's eyes.

"Trixie was visiting her best friend, Starlight Glimmer," Trixie began, ignoring the collective shudder five of the eight girls all felt at once (since Glimmer's takeover had happened before the Friendship Games) "and found a curious mirror in a room of Princess Twilight's castle. After making sure Starlight was distracted, Trixie stepped through, intending to amaze you all with her astounding magical abilities!"

Sunset sighed. "Yep, she's definitely Trixie, alright..."

“Makes sense,” Twilight reasoned, “but we very well can’t have her wandering the halls after...well, you know...”

“You’ve seen what kind of uproar she’s already caused,” Adagio added. “Half the students are convinced they’ve seen a ghost, and the other half want her head mounted on a pike at the main entrance as a warning to other jokesters.”

“The crude one said something about Trixie dying?” Trixie queried, ignoring the death stare from Raven. “This is impossible, as Trixie is alive and well and standing before you.”

Luna sighed. “Sunset, would you explain?” Sunset nodded. “Well ... Trixie, it’s like this...”

One explanation later, Trixie was horrified to learn of her human doppelganger’s fate. “No wonder the others were so hostile, I suspect Trixie would feel the same given the circumstances.”

"We have to do something with you," Sunset sighed, and looked at her backpack, where the magical journal was kept. "Maybe I'll write to Twilight and see what she recommends... or maybe..." She sighs, "No, we can't take you to her, that'll ruin her progress!"

"But she's gotta know, Sunny," Raven says. "You know what Gem's like when she isn't told stuff!"

“Yeah, I know,” Sunset sighed. “So, we need to figure out a way to introduce Trixie here without triggering some form of psychotic episode in Gem. Anyone got any ideas?”

The girls huddled together, with Luna, and discussed, while Trixie tried unsuccessfully to levitate one of Luna’s pens from her desk. “This is turning into a great and powerful nightmare,” Trixie lamented.

* * *

“And the doctor is okay with this?” Raven asked, wary of what might happen.

“She said as long as we made it clear what was happening, she doesn’t feel there will be any major problems,” Sunset explained. “I’ll go in and talk to her first, and when I feel it’s okay, I’ll have you bring Trixie in.”

“Okay,” Raven affirmed, “I just hope you all know what you’re doing.”

“I hope so too,” Sunset muttered under her breath as she rapped on Gem’s door. “Come in,” said a weak voice on the other side.

Sunset opened the door slowly and stepped inside, shutting the door quickly behind her. “Hey Gem, how are you doing today?” Sunset queried conversationally.

"Okay, I guess," Gem said, shrugging. She wore a plain white hospital gown with slippers. "Dr. Schmidt has been very nice, and I feel like I'm making progress, but..." She trailed off, looking down at the floor. Her eyes are empty and forlorn-looking, and her posture slumped. "Are you sure you want to be here?" she asked Sunset finally. "With me, of all people?"

Sunset went over and hugged Gem tightly. “Gem, you know you’re one of the best friends I have, why would I not want to be her with you?” She pulled a large envelope out of her jacket and placed in on a nearby table. “Some cards from the other students. You’re missed, Gem, more than you may realize. People ask about you every day, and really want you to return as soon as you’re able.” Sunset looked Gem square in the eyes. “Gem, no one’s blaming you for what happened. They all know that you were under some other influence. Nobody thinks you’re a monster, or some evil she-demon...well, except for Trixie’s mom, but there’s not much we can do about that. My point is, there’s lots of people that want to see you better and see your smiling face in the halls of ol’ CHS again.”

"I miss it there," Gem agrees, hugging Sunset tight, as if she were a life presever. "It's terribly lonely without you girls around, or Longhaul, or Steno..." She puts the cards on her bedside table, next to her transition supplements. "Anyway... what's going on? How's school been?"

Sunset took a deep breath. “There’s been a little excitement over there. We...we’ve had another visitor from the other side. She caused quite a commotion when she arrived.”

"Really?" Gem looks curious, as close to her normal self as possible. "Who is it? Was it Princess Twilight again?"

“No, it was... someone else,” Sunset answered.

"Who was she?" Gem asked, a note of insistence in her voice. "A friend? A foe?"

“A little of... both,” Sunset stalled. Finally, she took a deep breath. “Gem...the one that came through...doesn’t have a counterpart in this world any more. We all figured it would be best to just come out and let you know, rather than try to keep it hidden, because we all know how you are when a mystery presents itself. We...also talked to your doctor, and she seems to think that this could help bring some closure to...to all that’s happened. Now, we have her out in the hall. Raven’s out there with her. If you don’t think you’re ready for this, or if you just don’t want to, that’s fine. We’ll take her home and that will be that, while we try to figure out how to get her sent back.” She studied Gem carefully. “Do you want to see her?”

Gem thought about this for quite a while, weighing any pros and cons, before eventually nodding. "Yes... send her in, please." She goes to a mirror and does her best to make herself look presentable. "What I wouldn't give for my makeup kit..."

Sunset goes to the door. Opening it a crack, she says to Raven, “Okay, bring her in.” Raven walks in with Trixie next to her. Raven shoots Trixie a cautioning look before going over and hugging Gem tightly. Gem hugs Raven back, placing a kiss on the lavender girl's nose and smiling. 

Trixie clears her throat. “Hello... Gemini,” she said softly. 

Gem freezes and turns around slowly, looking Trixie up and down. Finally, she reaches out and gently pokes Trixie's chest with her finger. "Astonishing... if Sunset hadn't warned me, I might have thought... you survived being cremated," she whispered.

Trixie managed a nervous smile. “Sunset and the others told me...about what happened to this world’s Trixie. Trixie is very sorry to hear about all of that, and she also knows about the evil influences of Nightmare Moon. Trixie was aware of the chaos when she took over the Summer Sun Celebration, and...well, if this world’s Trixie is anything like me, she would have understood that you weren’t in control of what was happening. Trixie thinks ... that she would have forgiven you. This Trixie knows she would have.”

Gem smiles slightly, and brushes her fingertips against Trixie's hand, tears in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispers, and wraps her arms around the magician in a hug, before asking "Before... she and I were working on... becoming friends. Would you... be interested in... picking up where she left off?"

Trixie nodded, replying, “Trixie would like that very much.” Sunset and Raven moved over and hugged both Trixie and Gem.

* * *

Later that day, the girls (minus Gem) regrouped at Sunset's house, Trixie among them. "I think that went pretty well," Sunset said, smiling. "I'm glad Gem didn't snap... I was afraid she would for a minute there."

"Trixie only wonders what will become of her now," Trixie agreed, looking around at the house. "She has no magic here, and this form is foreign... more or less. What is she to do?"

Sunset took out her journal. "I'll write to the Princess, I bet she'll have some ideas."

“Okay, so while we wait for a reply, what shall we do?” Adagio asked the group.

Trixie’s stomach rumbled. “Ooh...Trixie hasn’t eaten all day. Trixie doesn’t suppose there’s any food available?”

“We might be able to get some,” Aria said, “vegetarian, of course. Anything special you’re craving?”

“Trixie does have a bit of a hankering for burritos...”

Sonata narrowed her eyes and stared art Trixie. “Heretic,” she hissed quietly.

"Burritos it is," Raven announces, and grabs her car keys. "I'll go get 'em from that Mexican place in town. Wanna come with, Trix?"

“Trixie would be delighted,” she replied. “It will give Trixie a chance to see more of this place.”

 Once Trixie and Raven had left, the rest turned to Sunset. “You don’t think they’re gonna let her stay here, do you?” Emerald asked.

 “Do you realize what’s gonna happen when people see Trixie walking down the hallways at school again?” Adagio added.

“Burritos? Is she insane?!” Sonata snorted.

Sunset sighed and put her head in her hands. "I honestly have no idea, to any of those," she moaned. "I mean, her counterpart here might be dead, but she might be needed in Equestria... especially if she's friends with Starlight Glimmer. As for school... maybe she could go to a different school in the district?"

"Like Crystal Prep?" Twilight added. "I bet they'd love to have her there."

“You’re still bitter about how they treated us there, aren’t you, Sparks?” Emerald teased. Twilight responded by sticking her tongue out at Emerald.

A minute later, Sunset’s book buzzed. “Okay, here’s the answer we’ve been waiting for,” she announced. She opened the book and began to read.

“Starlight told me that Trixie might have snuck through the mirror. Thank you for confirming our suspicions. While my experiences with her have been less than positive, Starlight assures me that she was most likely just curious to see what life was like in your world. Regardless, Trixie will have to come home so as to not cause undue stress in your world, especially in light of the situation you had described. I will take the events at the hospital into consideration when I decide on how Trixie should be reprimanded for this, and I am glad that she was able to give dear Gemini some much-needed comfort. Please send Trixie back as soon as you are able, and give Gemini my best wishes.”

Sunset closed the book. “So, that’s that. We can’t send her back during the school day, so she’ll have to stay at least until the weekend.”

Adagio nods. "That seems fair. It'll give her time to get her bearings, and it'll give the Princess time to decide on a punishment."

* * *

"And those weird things at the ends of your arms are called fingers," Raven explained to Trixie as they drove to the taco place. "And instead of fur, you just have bare skin."

"I see," Trixie says, and wiggles her fingers experimentally. "And this pony-less carriage is how you humans live without magic?" She narrows her eyes. "Trixie does not trust your vehicle."

“There’s nothing to worry about, it’s been serviced and runs good,” Raven reassured Trixie. “I know it must seem strange for us to use self-propelled vehicles, but...”

“Trixie doesn’t trust your vehicle because it has wheels," Trixie says, narrowing her eyes. "Trixie doesn’t trust wheels.”

Raven was going to reply, but shrugged instead. “So be it,” she said begrudgingly, “but it’s all we have.”

Arriving at the taco place, the two went to the counter. Fortunately, the place was still relatively empty. “Oh, hey Raven,” the server said. “You here for Sonata’s usual?”

“Yeah, that, and could I also get three veggie burritos and two nacho platters?” Raven asked.

The server punched the information in on the display. “Yeah, we’ll bring that out to you when it’s done. Do you two want a drink while you wait? On the house.”

“Two colas, please,” Raven affirmed.

After getting their drinks, the two sat at an empty table and waited for their order. “So, now that you’ve seen some of our world, what do you think?” Raven queried, tying to make small talk.

"It is strange," Trixie replies, "But a good kind of strange... Trixie has heard tell that several Equestrians have come to stay here, but she is not sure if she should or not."

"What do you mean?" Raven asked.

Trixie thought for a moment. "Trixie wanted a chance to start over, in a world where no would know who she was... she has had all kinds of bad luck in Equestria, and would like a chance to start a new life." She meets Raven's eyes. "Have you ever felt like that?"

“Kinda,” Raven began, “and in a way, I did when I got here from Manehattan. Things weren’t going well for me there, and I had gotten a rep as being a bad seed. When I arrived here in Canterlot, where no one knew me or the things I’d done, it was like having a blank slate to work with. And I’ve made some good friends, and met Gem...so yeah, I can see where you’re coming from with the whole ‘starting fresh’ thing.”

Trixie nodded. "Trixie figured you would say something like that." She looks back down at the table and sipped her soda. "Trixie is almost afraid to go home... Starlight Glimmer is the first real friend Trixie has ever had, and she would hate to disappoint her... to say nothing of how Sparkle will react."

“I wouldn’t worry about it,” Raven soothed. “I’m sure Sunset told her how well-behaved you were here, and from what I know of the princess, she’ll be fair about it.”

The counter server presented a small bag to Trixie and Raven. “Order’s ready.”

“Oh, right,” Raven said, reaching for her keys, She pressed a button and the trunk popped open.

Trixie’s mouth dropped open upon seeing this. “Is that...magic?”

Raven shrugged. “Nah. Just remote entry.” As she spoke, five workers emerged from the back, each carrying a large box. One of the boxes contained the two nacho platters, while the rest were filled to the top with tacos. Raven looked at the dumbstruck Trixie and shrugged again. “What can I say? Sonata likes tacos.”

“Yeah,” snarked one of the workers, “and in other news, water is wet and the sky is blue.”

"Thanks guys," Raven said, slipping some cash over to one of the workers. "Back home we go!"

* * *

The next few days were filled with Trixie being shown around the town, and learning about the strange world that existed behind the mirror. She watched television while the girls were busy in school, and when they returned they would all go on a grand adventure to some place in town.

Finally, it was the weekend, and all eight gathered at the statue. Trixie looked more apprehensive than usual, not sure what would happen once she crossed back through.

“Trixie wants to thank all of you for your graciousness and hospitality, and apologizes for causing such a disturbance upon her arrival,” she said.

"It was nice to have you here," Sunset said, smiling warmly. "And I know Gem would say the same if she was here with us." Then she blinks, and reaches into her backpack, producing a notebook with Trixie's cutie mark on it. "It was hers," she explained. "They were cleaning out her locker the other week and it got left behind... I've given a similar notebook to Gem so that the two of you can write to each other, like I do with the princess."

“Trixie can’t thank you enough,” she said, wrapping Sunset in a hug. “Trixie will be sure to write as often as she can.” She stepped to the base of the statue and turned to face the group. “Farewell, citizens of Canterlot! The Great and Powerful Trrrrrixie salutes you!” And, having said that, she stepped through the statue.

On the other side, Twilight Sparkle is waiting with Starlight Glimmer. "Welcome back," she says crisply, helping Trixie to her hooves. "And how did you enjoy your unauthorized adventure in the land of humans?"

“It was...enlightening,” Trixie said with a small grin.

"As glad as I am you helped Miss Gemini get closure from her ordeal," Twilight continued, "there is still the matter of your punishment, but we'll get to that in a bit. For now, I will say that this room will remain locked with a magical seal only I and Sunset Shimmer will be able to open, so that we don't have any repeats of this... incident."

Across town, Lyra Heartstrings kicked a hoof and sighed in disappointment. "Aw, nuts..."

Trixie hung her head. “Trixie is sorry her curiosity got the best of her,” she repented, “and she will accept whatever punishment you think is fair.”

“Very well, then,” Twilight said, standing tall, “your punishment will be to relieve Starlight of her cleaning duties for one week.” She levitates a bucket and mop over to Trixie. “You can start in the hallway and then tend to the bathrooms.”

Trixie nodded glumly and grabbed the mop in her telekinesis.

* * *

Back in the human world, the seven girls headed back in the direction of their homes. "So, how do you think I did as substitute leader, Raven?" Sunset asked. "Be honest."

Raven rolled her eyes. “You did fine, Sunny, we don’t have plans to violently overthrow you and establish a more democratic rule,” she joked. “Seriously, you handled that very well. Gem would be proud.”

Sunset smiled. "Thanks Raven... I'm glad you said that." The two girls talked a little while longer, then got into their respective cars, driving off into the distance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> L: We did this not long after the MLP:FiM episode “No Second Prances” aired, hence the reference in the title to the running gag prevalent through the show. So, we figured now that Starlight and Trixie were friends, what would happen if Trixie went through the magic mirror, and what kind of mayhem would ensue, with Human Trixie being dead and all…
> 
> C: The image of Trixie waltzing into CHS' cafeteria and getting a cold reception brings to mind The Impossible Astronaut, where the previously-dead character (the Doctor) enters an establishment where food is served and gets an equally cold reaction from the deceased's friends (Amy, Rory, and River Song).


End file.
